CHENNAI: Chennai, which is reeling under acute water scarcity owing to the depletion of groundwater levels, will soon get a respite with the state government making much headway in establishing a dam at Kannankottai Thervaikandigai in neighbouring Tiruvallur district, to supply protected water to residents.
Nearly 95 per cent of the work on the fifth reservoir to augment drinking water supply to Chennai city by forming new reservoir near Kannankottai and Thervaikandigai, has been completed and the remaining work will be completed soon, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami said.
The Chief Minister had announced the commencement of the project in the Assembly in March 2018. The scheme was announced by late Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa in 2012, and it involves linking the Kannankottai and Thervoykandigai lakes and building a reservoir to impound one tmc feet water.
At present, the city's drinking water requirement is met from reservoirs at Poondi, Cholavaram, Red Hills and Chembarambakkam, and all of them have dried up, leading to water shortage in the metro.
Mr Palaniswami who reviewed the progress of work and other projects initiated through the Public Works Department (PWD), a portfolio he holds, said 95 per cent of construction work of the new dam has been completed. "The remaining five per cent work will be finished in two months and the government will take steps to store water there in the coming monsoon and ensure unhindered supply to people," he added.
According to an official release, the CM reviewed various works including construction and maintenance of reservoirs, water rejuvenation schemes, and the government's ambitious 'Kudimaramathu' scheme, which involves community participation in the maintaining water bodies. Mr
Palaniswami directed officials to expedite work on five intra-state river linking projects, the release said.
