CHENNAI: The water resources department plans to begin desilting work in the Cauvery basin before the end of April. The government has issued an order to carry out the work in 12 districts, including Salem, Karur, Tiruchy and Thanjavur, at a cost of Rs 90 crore.
A department official said desilting work will be carried out to ensure that water released from Mettur dam reaches irrigation canals even in till the tail-end areas of delta districts without any hindrance and also to ensure quick recession of floodwater.
The department has planned to carry out a total of 696 works, including bund strengthening and removal of bushes. It aims at covering a total of 4,720 km, benefiting over 6.5 lakh acres of land. Another official said tenders have been floated for the works.
There is also a possibility of opening the shutters of the Mettur dam before the scheduled date of June 12, as the water level stood at 101.980 feet on Sunday. Since the department plans to allot work orders among multiple contractors, work will be completed within the scheduled period, he added.
During 2022-23, the department took up 683 works to desilt rivers, canals, and supply channels for a length of 4,964.11 km in Karur, Tiruchy, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Pudukkottai and Cuddalore at a cost of Rs 80 crore.
The Federation of Cauvery Delta Farmers Association state president, KV Elankeeran, has requested the government to form a farmers’ committee to monitor the work in all districts. “The government has been carrying out desilting work every summer, which is a welcome move.
At the same time, it is essential to seek farmers’ opinions before executing the work. Steps must also be taken to form a special farmers’ committee to monitor the work,” he said. Tamil Nadu Farmers Association secretary K Balasubramani has also urged the government to ensure that water reaches the tail-end areas.