TIRUPPUR/ERODE: Following an increase in water flow in Bhavani River after heavy rainfall, the water resources department (WRD) has commenced supply to tanks under the Athikadavu-Avinashi project.
The Athikadavu-Avinashi project is designed to pump 1.5 tmcft of surplus water from the downstream of Kalingarayan Anicut in Bhavani River once a year at the rate of 250 cusecs per second for 70 days to fill 1,045 waterbodies in drought-affected areas of Erode, Tiruppur and Coimbatore districts. Pumping stations have been set up at six locations for this project.
Currently, widespread heavy rains in the catchment areas of the Bhavani River in Erode district have caused flooding in the river. As a result, WRD has begun pumping water from the river to distribute it to the tanks under the project.
Reportedly water is being provided, on a priority basis, to tanks in all three districts that had long been without a water supply due to technical issues.
A senior official of the project said, "Typically, the water supply season for the project runs from June to May. But due to insufficient rain, we last provided water to the ponds for 10 days in July.
Currently, there is high water flow in Bhavani River. Therefore, we are only pumping about 80 cusecs for the project and providing it to selective ponds on a trial basis."
The official also mentioned that only 0.25 tmc of water has been received for the project so far in the current season.
T K Periyasamy, president of the Athikadavu-Avinashi Project Kulam Kuttaikal Pathukappu Sangam, said, "Waterbodies under the project have now received an inflow of water. If this rain continues for another 20 days, it might help mitigate the drought effect."