TIRUCHY/THANJAVUR: A day ahead of the opening of sluices of Mettur dam for Kuruvai cultivation, Chief Minister MK Stalin reviewed the maintenance work undertaken at the Pulivalam canal in Tiruchy district on Friday. In a bid to ensure that water released from the dam reaches even the tail-end areas, the State government undertook maintenance work on canals stretching over 4,061 km in the delta regions at a cost of Rs 65.10 crore.
With the works almost complete, Stalin, on Friday afternoon, reviewed the maintenance work undertaken at the Pulivalam canal at a cost of Rs 29.70 lakh. The PWD carried out cleaning works on the canal. Weeds were cleared and bunds strengthened. Stalin also inspected the renovation work on Kallanai (Grand Anaicut) and special desilting works being carried out in Cauvery delta districts.
The water from Mettur dam is likely to benefit Kuruvai paddy crop on around 3.5 lakh acres in the Cauvery delta districts. Stalin inspected the preparations for water release into the Cauvery and its branch rivers and canals in Thanjavur district. On his first stop at Kallanai, he inspected the first phase of work being carried out as part of Rs 1,036-crore project on expansion and renovation of water resource structures.
He also visited a photo exhibition arranged at Kallanai on the desilting works being carried at Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagappattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruchy, Karur, Pudukkottai, Ariyalur, Cuddalore districts.
At a meeting held at Kallanai inspection bungalow, he reviewed the desilting works taken up at Cauvery delta districts.
Later, Stalin inspected the desilting of the Muthalaimuthuvaari, the drainage canal at Vallam near Thanjavur. The canal is being desilted to a length of 3.35 km at a cost of Rs 40 lakh. Later, he visited Palliagraharam near Thanjavur where sand dunes and vegetation were being cleared from the Vennaru to a length of 400 metres at a cost of Rs 17 lakh.
Receives petition
Stalin, who was on the way from Kallanai to Thanjavur, stopped his car at various points to receive petitions from the public, who had gathered along the roadside. He received petitions at Koviladi, Tiruchenampoondi, Tirukkattupalli, Budalur north and Budalur four road crossings.
Ministers accompany Stalin
Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan and Ministers KN Nehru, SS Sivashankar, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, V Meyyanathan and Tiruchy MP Su Thirunavukarasar were present during Stalin’s visit