PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss says check dams possible in delta districts
CHENNAI: Taking a strong exception to the remark made by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami that check dams could not be built in Cauvery delta districts since these areas were plains, PMK youth wing president Anbumani Ramadoss on Thursday pointed out that only big dams could not be built in plains, but constructing check dams was always possible.
For instance, the State Public Works Department had built a check dam across Cauvery at Kambarasampettai near Tiruchi which helped in increasing groundwater table in that area, he said.
In a statement, released just a couple of hours after the Chief Minister made the remark at Mettur, the PMK leader recalled that the Tamil Nadu government on June 9, 2014, responding to a petition before the Madras High Court seeking a directive to build check dams across Cauvery and Coleroon rivers in Thanjavur and Nagapattinam districts, had said 61 minor bridges would be built at a cost of `117 crore.
Besides, the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had on August 4, 2014 announced that a check dam would be built between Adhanur and Kumaramangalam in Cuddalore district at a cost of `400 crore to store six tmcft of water. “So, the Chief Minister should bifurcate the Public Works Department and create a separate department for Water Resources Management and should implement a five-year plan to construct five check dams across all rivers in Tamil Nadu,” he added.
Anbumani Ramadoss further said the Coleroon river runs for 110 km from Grand Anicut to Nagapattinam district and if check dams are built at 10 places, groundwater table will go up significantly in four delta districts - Thanjavur, Ariyalur, Cuddalore and Nagapattinam.
Recalling State’s response
Pattali Makkal Katchi MP Anbumani Ramadoss recalled that the Tamil Nadu government on June 9, 2014, responding to a petition before the High Court, said that 61 minor bridges would be built at a cost of `117 crore