The Hindu 26.11.2010
Water flowing on many Tirumangalam streets
S. Sundar
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Water flow in the Vaigai receding; all causeways in city remain closed
for traffic; relief work under way
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— Photos: K. Ganesan
NO OTHER GO:Encroachments being removed from a defunct channel that
drains water from Madakulam tank near Palanganatham on Thursday; (Right)
Residents of Kurunji Nagar in Tirumangalam wading through knee-deep
water.
— Photos: K. Ganesan
NO OTHER GO:Encroachments being removed from a defunct channel that
drains water from Madakulam tank near Palanganatham on Thursday; (Right)
Residents of Kurunji Nagar in Tirumangalam wading through knee-deep
water.
MADURAI: Even as the flow of water in the Vaigai river started
receding on Thursday, there seemed to be no respite for residents of
Kurunji Nagar in 20-km away Tirumangalam where knee-deep water is
flowing on the streets for the second day.
The gushing flow that submerged four causeways across the Vaigai
river in the city for the last three days started flowing through the
openings in the causeways on Thursday. However, as a precautionary
measure, vehicular traffic remain prohibited on the causeways.
The amount of rainfall recorded in the catchment areas had fallen
significantly in the last two days. However, overscast sky and incessant
drizzle witnessed early in the morning forced the district authorities
to declare a holiday for educational institutions on Thursday.
The level in the Vaigai dam still remains above the danger-mark of 69
feet ever since the final flood warning for the five districts
downstream was issued on Tuesday. It stood at 69.59 feet (full level 71
feet) with an inflow of 4,046 cusecs and a discharge of 2,179 cusecs.
The level in the Periyar dam continued to rise and stood at 127 feet
(136 feet). The flow into the dam was 2,755 cusecs with no discharge.
The combined Periyar credit stood at 6,312 mcft.
Meanwhile, hundreds of houses in Kurunji Nagar and NGO Colony in
Tirumangalam were inundated for the second successive day. Knee-deep
water was flowing on streets and flood water entered many houses on the
ground floor. Many families were seen moving out of the residential
areas to places of safety in the morning.
Buying water
With no protected water available, the residents were buying packaged
water. Amid this gloom, a man, K. Abdul Munaf, is selling 25-litre
water cans that were being sold for Rs. 36 is selling it for Rs. 25 on
seeing the plight of these people. Women were seen washing their clothes
on the streets and urchins testing their swimming skills.
Another resident, T. Nageshwar Rao, said that the level of water that
entered the residential area on Wednesday morning had gone up on
Thursday. Further away at Karadikkal on the Tirumangalam-Chekkanoorani
road, nurseries of paddy crops have been submerged in water. A young
farmer was seen pumping out the water from the field to a nearby branch
canal.
Collector C. Kamaraj has instructed Public Works Department officials to remove encroachments on drainage channels.
Water being drained
In the city, the Corporation employees were trying to pump out flood
water from low-lying areas in Ellis Nagar, Pookkara Street, Sellur and
Duraisamy Nagar off Bypass Road. Twenty vehicles, including earth movers
and tankers, were used to drain the water. The affected people were
accommodated in the nearby Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board apartments
where they were given food and clothes with the help of a voluntary
organisation.
The officials were taking efforts to remove blockades on the
channels. Corporation Commissioner S. Sebastine convened a meeting of
senior officials to discuss relief work.
