Chennai, July 24: Tl
The Tamil Nadu government is set to begin desilting operations at the Poondi Reservoir and Chembarambakkam Reservoir after nearly seven years to restore lost storage capacity. Officials said silt accumulation has reduced the effective capacity of major reservoirs by 15–20%, prompting urgent intervention ahead of the northeast monsoon.
The move follows directions from Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to utilise current low water levels for the exercise. Around 400 million cubic feet of silt is expected to be removed under the initial plan, with work likely to begin soon after policy clearances.
Officials noted that Poondi currently holds less than one-third of its capacity, while Chembarambakkam is at around two-thirds, making conditions favourable for desilting. The Water Resources Department said the project, expected to take about a month, would help improve Chennai’s drinking water storage and strengthen long-term water security.