The government has also formed a technical advisory committee to list out other reservoirs that need to be desilted
Tamil Nadu government
Chennai: In a major decision, the state government has decided to undertake desilting of five major reservoirs in Tamil Nadu, which had not been done for several decades, resulting in substantial loss of capacity.
This assumes significance with most parts of the state facing acute water shortage due to deficit rainfall and depletion of ground water levels causing concern among farmers.
According to public works department (PWD) officials, the government has accorded administrative sanction for desilting Vaigai dam in Theni district, Pechiparai reservoir in Kanyakumari, Amaravati dam in Tiruppur, Mettur dam in Salem and Srivaikuntam dam in Thoothukudi.
The government has also formed a technical advisory committee to list out other reservoirs that need to be desilted. The work will be done under the Centrally-aided Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Scheme, as per a government order in September last year.
A copy of the order was submitted before the National Green Tribunal by PWD counsel with an assurance that the work will commence soon. A senior PWD official told this newspaper all the five reservoirs were over 50 years old and had lost a minimum 30 per cent capacity due to silting.
Sources also said though sedimentation studies were conducted in the past, desilting was not carried out. Farmer leaders have lauded the government’s decision to desilt dams. R. Jayaram of Madurai, told DC more than 21 feet of Vaigai reservoir’s total height of 71 feet was filled with silt.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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