CHENNAI: Members and officials of the Parliamentary standing committee on water resources will visit Tamil Nadu and Kerala on Thursday. As per their two-day schedule, the committee members would hold meetings with representatives of the TN government, the Ministry of Jal Shakti, and officials of State and Central water resources departments.
During the meeting, to be held at a private hotel in Chennai, the committee members will talk about the safety of the Mullaiperiyar dam, reservoir management, floods in Chennai, flood-control measures, and the Cauvery dispute. They will also focus on the various activities under the Centre’s Jal Jeevan Mission and Swachh Bharat Mission, including solid and liquid waste management.
After the discussion, the committee members will visit the Nemmeli Seawater Desalination Plant. On Thursday evening, the panel members will head to Kochi in Kerala. A senior official in the State WRD told TNIE that efforts were being made to boost the storage of Poondi, Cholavaram, and Chembarambakkam reservoirs to meet the rising drinking water needs of the city.
Moreover, the WRD was planning to renovate the sluices and construct stormwater drains in the city and suburbs. The estimated cost was Rs 20,000 crore and works would be completed in five years. “The WRD has already submitted an oral report on required funds to the Centre.
We will discuss these subjects with the standing committee.” Based on the committee’s report, the Centre was likely to issue orders to initiate the works, he added. Another official said the standing committee sought a detailed report on the waterbodies and related schemes across the State.