VILLUPURAM: District collector, S Sheik Abdul Rahman on Thursday, visited the Ellis Chatram check-dam at Yenathimangalam village to inspect ongoing repair activities after the dam was damaged by heavy rainfall and flooding in December last year. The right and left side embankment walls of the dam were severely damaged due to the recent floods, prompting an urgent need for permanent repairs.
The dam, constructed in 1949-1950 across the Thenpennai river, serves as a crucial irrigation facility for 13,100 acres of agricultural land across several villages, including Yenathimangalam and Supoor. The dam has two main canals, the right canal (Eralur, Reddy) serving 12 tanks and the left canal (Azhankal, Maragathapuram, and Kandampakkam) serving 14 tanks.
In response, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister ordered the restoration of the damaged dam, with an estimated cost of Rs 86.25 crore for permanent reconstruction. Temporary repairs were carried out in late 2024 following the floods, but permanent repairs are necessary for long-term stability, stated an official release. The reconstruction works was carried out on Thursday to ensure the dam's sustainability and to provide relief to farmers in the region.