The Hindu                 03.05.2013

Cleaning of two tanks begins

An initiative that can go a long way in recharging groundwater level began here on Thursday — a Rs. 2.5-crore project to remove silt from Ukkadam Big Tank and Singanallur Tank.

Ukkadam Big Tank is spread across 320 acres and has a water storage capacity of 60 million cubic ft.

Its present water storage capacity is down to 30 per cent because of silt accumulation, said Vanita Mohan, vice-president of Residents Awareness Association of Coimbatore (RAAC) that got sanction from District Collector M. Karunagaran to clean the two water bodies. Singanallur Tank has an area of 269.27 acres.

Ukkadam Big Tank gets water via Coimbatore anicut from Selvachinthamani Tank, for which River Noyyal is the source.

The original design, she says, ensured the water flow from Noyyal filled up several tanks and check dams via anaicuts before returning to the river itself.

Over the years, silt accumulation has disrupted both the inflow and outflow of water to the tanks.

Silt removed would be used to construct bunds.

“The work will be completed in May,” said Ms. Vanita Mohan.

Islands

The silt would be used to create islands to grow trees through ‘Vegetative Propagation,’ a form of asexual reproduction in plants in which the growth is quicker.

“We will plant indigenous species of trees, which are rich in fruits and have plenty of branches to attract birds to nest.

Through the Vegetative Propagation process, we expect the plants to be fully grown in an year or so,” said Mrs. Vanita Mohan.

Four such islands were being planned now, she said.