With nearly 60% of work for construction of a reservoir across the Maruthaiyar at Kottarai having been completed, the authorities concerned have expedited efforts to acquire lands required for the project.
Collector V. Santha who visited the construction site a couple of days back has ordered the officials to do the needful.
Late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had announced the project under Rule 110 in the Assembly in April 2013 and the work began in March 2016.
The reservoir was sanctioned at an estimated cost of ₹67.50 crore.
Nearly 1,116 acres of land, including 893.39 acres of private holdings and about 222 acres of poromboke land are to be acquired.
According to Ms. Santha, about 650 acres of land has been acquired and the work was under way to acquire the remaining area.
The bunds of the reservoir would run for a length of about 2,300 metres with two irrigation sluices.
Two irrigation canals will be built – one running a distance of 9.91 km and the other about 6.6 km.
The process of acquiring the land required for the construction of the canals was nearing completion.
The reservoir would have a storage capacity of 423.16 million cubic feet and would harvest the rain flow in the Maruthaiyar and a couple of other jungle streams.
“The project would irrigate nearly 4,200 acres of dry land in Kottarai, Adhanur, Koothur, Pujangarayanallur, Nochikulam, Thondapadi, Azhagiripalayam, Koodalur and Sathanur. Besides, it would help improve the groundwater table substantially in the region. Farmers would be able to cultivate two crops a year. The project will help improve the economy of the area,” Ms. Santha said after the inspection.
Sources in the PWD said the process of acquiring the private lands was nearing completion.
“There were a couple of minor issues and they have been sorted out. The land acquisition will be completed soon,” said A. Deiveegan, Executive Engineer, PWD, Maruthaiyar Basin Division. T.N.Prabakaran Assistant Executive Engineer, PWD, and other officials briefed the Collector.
While the project is scheduled to be completed by March 2018, the reservoir is expected to suffer a time overrun of about six months, sources indicated.
