CUDDALORE : The government will sanction an additional Rs 328 crore this fiscal to desilt water bodies across the State, said Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami at Chidambaram on Wednesday.
Speaking to mediapersons during a stopover in Chidamabram while travelling to Thirukadaiyur to attend a function, Palaniswami said that the Kudimaramathu project launched by the present AIADMK government was benefitting large number of farmers in the State.
He added that the scheme would be expanded and a total of 1,151 water bodies in the State would be desilted. With regards to water storage levels, the chief minister said most of the water bodies in the State were full owing to abundant rains.
Criticising the Opposition, he charged that the DMK during its reign never implemented any people-friendly measures such as Kudiamaramathu or did anything to bring rightful share of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. Such initiatives, however, were taken by former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. To check the wastage of water, Palaniswami said that the government would be taking up a holistic programme for three years at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore by constructing check dams in the tail- end regions of Cauvery.