CHENNAI: The Water Resources Department is constructing a check dam across river Cauvery near Kambarasampettai to recharge ground water and improve the drinking water supply in the delta region.
In a counter before Acting Chief Justice Satish K Agnihotri and Justice M M Sundresh, Water Resources Department stated that it was planning to construct a total of 61 checkdams, grade walls and bed dams worth `117 crore across the branch rivers of Cauvery delta in Tamil Nadu. This would benefit Tiruchy, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts by improving irrigation facilities and recharging ground water.
As part of the programme, 11 grade walls and 14 check dams across various tributaries of Cauvery river and drainages have been taken up under National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development loan assistance in Rural infrastructure Development Fund during 2013-14 at an estimated cost of `67.68 crore in Thanjavur district.
Besides, a committee, constituted by the State government for utilization of flood flows during the northeast monsoon, recommended the construction of a barrage below Lower Coleroon Anaicut and the proposal was included in the scheme of ‘Improvements and Rehabilitation of Irrigation System’ in the Cauvery basin for funding assistance under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme of Union Ministry of water resources, the government pleader stated.
The counter was filed after petitioner K Rajendran urged the court to direct Public Works Department secretary, Union Ministry of Water resources and the Collector of Nagapattinam to construct check dams and storage dams across River Kollidam at the cost of `100 crore and recharge the depleting underground water aquifer near Cauvery Delta districts.