Desilting Velayutha Oorani, attached to the Sri Chokkanathar-Meenakshi Amman temple in the town, began here on Tuesday.
The water body has been rendered silted up thus losing its full potential of storing maximum water that could recharge groundwater in Virudhunagar town that lies in rain-shadow region.
Malaipettai Cotton Traders’ Association has taken up the task now. “We had planned to desilt the tank with a water spread area of 1.19 acres a few years back. But, poor economical position failed us then,” said the temple trustee, M.N. Ramadoss (57).
Stating that the tank, located between Madurai Road and Railway Feeder Road, was in the heart of the town and has the potential to recharge some 1.5 km radius, Mr. Ramadoss said that he had not heard of the tank desilting in his life time.
The silt has covered the tank for nearly seven feet. “If it is deepened and cleared for the entire water spread area, the ten-foot-deep water will recharge the groundwater to a substantial part of the town,” he added.
The cotton traders’ association would spend around ₹ 5 lakh to desilt and construct fence for some left-out portions. “It would not only prevent encroachment but also prevent pollution of the tank,” he added. The work is expected to be completed in a fortnight.
