Construction work of a bed dam across Vaigai river at Sholavandan to help recharge the infiltration wells of drinking water projects catering to various local bodies and to divert flood water to Thenur tank for irrigation is likely to be completed by September-end.
Collector Anshul Mishra inspected the work on Thursday along with Public Works Department officials and enquired about the progress of the Rs. 7.50 crore project that included lining of the Thenur tank supply channel for around 750 metres.
Defunct channel
PWD Executive Engineer P. Dhanabalan explained that the Thenur channel was rendered defunct after the bed level of the river went down below that of the channel over the years. The bed dam would supply water to Thenur tank, located around 4 km downstream, which will irrigate 728 hectares of land. Around 50 per cent of the work of constructing the 195-metre-long dam has been completed.
Accumulation of sand will also help increase the water yield for over eight infiltration wells of drinking water projects that served the Sholavandan town panchayat, Tirumangalam municipality, and Tenkarai panchayat.
Mr. Mishra also inspected the work of renovating Kondamari channel. The channel that originates from Sirumalai hills from Vadipatti traverses for 16.78 km and drains into Vaigai dam near Vilagudi. As part of the Rs. 10-crore project under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund, six anicuts have been constructed.
Besides restoring the channel to its original width, the officials are renovating six anicuts and constructing protection walls for 350 metres in 14 vulnerable locations where the bunds often breaches flooding Vilangudi and Paravai areas.
Around 1,900 acres of ayacut would benefit under the project.
Assistant Executive Engineer R. Sornakumar and Assistant Engineers C.P. Mohan Kumar and R. Dhandapani were among those who were present.
