NAGAPATTINAM/MAYILADUTHURAI: Even as the scheduled date for opening the sluice gates of Mettur dam is hardly a week away, officials expressed confidence in completing the special desilting works in irrigation channels and drains through the coastal delta districts ahead of the release of River Cauvery water. Desilting works are split and are being taken up by three departments. The PWD-WRD is desilting the A and B channels that branch from rivers.
In Mayiladuthurai, channels spread over 749.7 km are being desilted this year at a total cost of Rs 8.06 crore. In Nagapattinam, channels running to a length of 301.1 km are being desilted at a cost of Rs 3.97 crore. The works commenced in the two districts on April 28. "The special desilting works in A and B channels in Mayiladuthurai are 96% complete whereas that in such channels in Nagapattinam are 86% complete. We will complete all desilting works before Mettur dam opens," said a senior PWD-WRD official.
The agricultural engineering department is desilting C and D channels. In Mayiladuthurai, such channels running to a length of 305 km are being desilted at Rs 1.41 crore. In Nagapattinam, around 258 km of such channels are being desilted at Rs 97.6 lakh.
"The desilting works in C and D channels in Mayiladuthurai are 30% complete whereas that in the channels in Nagapattinam is 45% complete. We started late, around the last week of April. We will complete the works before the Cauvery water reaches the delta region," said a senior agricultural engineering department official. Similarly, the rural development department is desilting interior channels E, F and G. According to sources, work has been completed by 30% in Mayiladuthurai and 50 % in Nagapattinam.