CHENNAI: Just after announcing the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Conservation and Augmentation Mission to avoid water scarcity, the State government has issued administrative sanction for rejuvenating 5,000 minor irrigation (MI) tanks and 25,000 ponds and ‘ooranies’ (water source) in the State during the current financial year at a cost of Rs 1,250 crore.
There are 21,609 MI tanks, 48,758 ponds and ‘ooranies’ in Tamil Nadu. Rejuvenation of the rest of the water bodies will be taken up in coming years. The work will be done by converging the funds of Rs 750 crore for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and Rs 500 crore sanctioned by the State government in addition, a G.O issued by Rural Development Department on July 26 said.
This gives effect to the announcement made by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on July 20, in the Assembly.
Allocation of funds for the current year is as follows: Desilting and deepening of 5,000 MI tanks, construction of other works like surplus weir, sluice, inlet, outlet, baby pond, bathing ghat etc., (`500 crore) and carrying out similar works in 25,000 ponds and ooranies (`750 crore).
The MI tanks are vested with panchayat unions and ponds/ooranies are with village panchayats. Since there is no existing farmers association/ayacutdar association for MI tanks, ayacutdar association will be formed on a voluntary basis for each tank in rural areas so as to encourage them to involve in ‘Kudimaramathu’ works.
Any ayacutdar benefitting from the MI tank concerned can be part of ayacutdars association. The list of ayacutdars will be obtained from revenue authorities. Special ayacutdar meeting should be held in village panchayat area for each MI tank, to mobilise the public and involve them in Kudimaramathu works. Desilting will be taken up through the panchayat union and local public on a voluntary basis.
The district collector should ensure documentation of various processes of the scheme implementation. Documenting the works before, during and after completion, photographs, video etc. will be prepared for comparison and impact studies of the scheme at a later date.
Tamil Nadu is entirely dependent on monsoon rain for recharging water resources. Failure of monsoon and increasing use of water for irrigation, domestic and industrial purposes has led to over exploitation of groundwater, the G.O. said.