Chennai: The long-pending demand of residents of Kanchipuram district for check dam across the Palar river became a reality.
The ground water level has improved and the salinity has dipped drastically in and around the villages on Palar river bed, a press release said.
The nearly three decade old proposal has been revived to rejuvenate aquifers on either side of the river beds and also prevent intrusion of sea water. This will augment the ground water supply for the agricultural fields around and enhance water supply to various drinking water schemes, the release said.
The Department of Atomic Energy, Water Resources Department of State PWD, District Administration and Indian Institute of Technology, Madras have technically and administratively finalised the alignment near Voyalur- Kadalur villages for construction of check dam with sub-surface dyke for harnessing flood water after detailed study and analysis.
The innovative design of this work was vetted and approved by IIT Madras since the conventional check dam design would not serve the purpose due to its proximity to the sea and backwaters. The water stored and recharged through the innovative design could be used for domestic and agricultural purposes in the surrounding areas, the release said.
The project at an estimated cost of Rs 32.50 crore was administratively sanctioned by Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) for full funding.
An MoU was entered between General Services Organisation of DAE and Water Resources Department of State PWD and the bhoomi pooja was performed on 25 February 2019.
The work was proposed to be completed within a year on or before 31 March 2020, whereas the work was completed ahead of the envisaged schedule to store flood water in current season itself. Now it is witnessed that the newly built check dam filled up, following a three-day spell of rain in the last week of October and the perennially dry river Palar is brimming with water for a stretch of 4 km on upstream side of newly built check dam, the release said