COIMBATORE: In response to the prolonged demand of farmers, Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) on Thursday provided free electricity connection to the pumping station at Kadukuttai that will carry treated water from the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Ondipudur to Kadukuttai to facilitate groundwater recharge in the surrounding of Chettipalayam.
According to sources, with a fund of Rs 4.76 crore, the water project was started in 2020 to carry treated sewage water from the plan to Kadukuttai for 4.5 km distance through the pipeline. Out of 60 MLD, the project aims to take up 5 MLD of water from the treatment plant to Kadukuttai. After laying pipelines and finishing the construction of the pump house, the Water Resource Organization of PWD carried out a trial run in July last year. However, due to a lack of electricity connection, the treated water could not be taken to Kadukuttai.On Thursday, the department provided the connection.
A senior official from Tangedco, Coimbatore said, “Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission approved the free electricity service to the pumping station with 100 kVA. After all the procedures, the connection was given to the station on Thursday. The project will be inaugurated by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development S Muthusamy soon.”
He said the electricity charges for the pumping station would be paid by the Tamil Nadu government to the electricity department in the project. He also said that TNERC has approved another free electricity connection with 500 kVA to a pumping station for carrying treated sewage water and Noyyal River water to Pattanam in Coimbatore.
Welcoming the development, PA Arunachalam, executive committee member of the Kadukuttai Recharge Water Users Association, said, “Around 25,000 acres of land would benefit from the project as 11 ponds in Chettipalayam would receive treated water from the station soon.”