The Hindu             27.11.2013

Neglected water bodies set to be revived

Several water bodies on the city’s fringes that are in dire need of attention are set to be revived.

The
Water Resources Department has come up with a plan to salvage 21 lakes
in Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts, by restoring them, thereby
increasing irrigation potential and recharging the groundwater table in
their neighbourhoods.

The department is currently
awaiting the State government’s approval for the project, which will be
carried out as the third phase of the Restoration of Traditional Water
Bodies Scheme.

Large water bodies such as those at
Manimangalam, Sembakkam, Somangalam, Ottiyambakkam, Thenneri near
Walajabad, Mugaiyur near Mamallapuram and Vellancheri near Tiruttani
have been identified for rejuvenation in the coming fiscal.

WRD
officials said the water body in Thenneri, which is spread over 5.77
sq. km., is the largest among the tanks chosen this time. Most of the
lakes chosen have been neglected for several years, an official said.
The Manimangalam lake, is one such, spread over 3.42 sq. km. with an
irrigation command area of nearly 840 hectares.

“We
plan to strengthen the bunds, repair damaged sluice gates and weirs that
release surplus water as well as desilt the lakes. Their boundaries
will also be demarcated to ensure that there are no encroachments,” said
an official.

The Restoration of Traditional Water
Bodies Scheme began in 2011-12, and is being implemented for four years
across the State. Every year, the government allots Rs. 50 crore for it.

In
the first phase, around 10 lakes were restored at a cost of Rs. 5
crore. Work to restore 20 lakes taken up under the second phase is now
in the final stages and is expected to be completed by December.

Most
of the tanks taken up are spread over an area of 5-10 sq. km. and have
the potential to irrigate several hectares of land. In many cases,
farmers dependent on these water bodies for irrigation gave up
cultivating, as getting water was becoming increasingly difficult, said
the official.

A water body in Koovathur village, 15
km from Mamallapuram, was among those recently restored. A visit to the
lake revealed that the leaky weirs and sluice gates had been repaired
and an earthen bund has been put in place for nearly 1 km. Its capacity
has also been improved to one thousand million cubic feet.

Dinakaran, a farmer in the area said the villagers here grow paddy, groundnut and millet and depend on the lake for their needs.

“We
were unable to cultivate properly as the lake would not have enough
water during the crop season, as water flows out through the leaky
weirs. Now, the department has even constructed a field channel to
distribute water to our lands,” he said.