CHENNAI: Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday announced measures to strengthen the irrigation infrastructure in the State, which includes constructing a barrage across Coleroon river at a cost of Rs 400 crore and putting in place 17 checkdams at at a cost of Rs 32.3 crore.
Making a suo motu statement under Rule 110 in the State Assembly, the Chief Minister said the Coleroon river had primarily been functioning as a flood carrier. Since there are no irrigation facilities at the Lower Coleroon Anicut, the flood water flows into the sea. There were many representations that a check dam should be built. Accepting the demand, a barrage with head regulators will be built in between Adhanur and Kumaramangalam villages in Cuddalore and Nagapattinam districts with 0.6 tmc capacity, at an estimated cost of Rs 400 crore.
She also announced that the sand vent at the head regulator of Vuyyankkondan canal at Pettaivaithalai village in Srirangam taluk in Tiruchy district and the other stretch of the canal at Palakkarai would be renovated at a cost of Rs 14 crore.
Vadasseri dam across Ariyar river in Srirangam taluk, Pirattityur dam, Ariyavur dam and its feeder channel, Punganur dam, Inamkulathur dam and its feeder channel and seven dams across Ariyar river besides Samudram Maravanur lakes would be renovated at a cost of `16.85 crore.
Renovation works for Kothamangalam dam in Srirangam taluk, the three lakes in Thiruverumbur, Musiri and Thuraiyur taluks would be undertaken at a cost of `4.7 crore, while the works on strengthening the right bank of Cauvery river below the Upper Anicut in Srirangam would be taken up at a cost of Rs 1.2 crore.
Accepting requests from the public, the 18th Channel in Theni district should be extended from Suddha Ganga canal to Koovalinga river and should be linked with Kottakudi river, the project would be implemented at a cost of Rs 48 crore. Various dams in Theni districts would be renovated at a total cost of `22 crore.
Recalling that the storage level of Mullaiperiyar dam has been increased from 136 feet to 142 feet, the CM said to tap the additional water to be received, the branch canals of the Periyar Main Canal would be renovated.
In the first phase, the first four canals and the twelfth canal in Madurai and Sivaganga would be renovated at a cost of Rs 40 crore. Seventeen checkdams would come up, mostly in Tiruchy district. She said Rs 20 crore would be spent to desilt Parappalaru dam to redeem its original capacity of 200 million cubic feet.