Four large water bodies that once served as traditional rainwater harvesting systems in the town panchayats of Sholinghur, Timiri and Kalavai in Vellore district are all set to get a new lease of life, thanks to the NABARD assisted ‘Oorani Development Scheme’ under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund availed by the State government for the year 2012-13. The four water bodies are part of the 234 traditional water bodies in 143 town panchyats in the State that would be revived under this scheme at an estimated cost of `54 crore.

Assistant director of Town Panchayats Malayaman Thirumudikarai said the four ponds would be renovated at a cost of `2.2 crore and the work had already begun. The Appangarakulam and Thirukulam in Sholinghur will be renovated at a cost of `97 lakh and `30 lakh, respectively, while the Perumal temple kulam at Kalavai and Theppakulam at Timiri will get a facelift at a cost of `50 lakh and `43 lakh, respectively.

The Appangarakulam spread across an area of 4.7 acres has been in disuse for many years. The Oorani scheme announced by the Chief Minister last year had restored the hopes of the revival of the two ponds. Now that Sholinghur has been elevated as a ‘heritage town’ with an allocation of `1 crore state fund to spruce up the town, the other water bodies in the town would also be revived.

The Oorani project aims at reviving Appangarakulam besides providing revetment of the walls on all sides. The water inlet and outlet of this pond would be cleaned up while the entire pond would be desilted to a depth of 3 metres. Sit-outs will also be provided along the pathway. “We would like to make this water body a star attraction in the town and a recreation spot so that the locals and the pilgrims who visit the ancient temples in the town can spend their free time purposefully,” Thirumudikarai added.

The other three ponds in the area, ranging from one acre to two acres,  which will be taken up in the Oorani project, are also likely to be developed in the similar manner not only to improve the ground water level in the locality but also to give a fillip to farming activities.