Residents of Pattaraiperumbudur in Tiruvallur district are glad that the stretch of the Kosasthalaiyar river near their village will have a good volume of water even during summer. The river will soon have one more structure to store surplus water with the work on a check dam nearing completion.
The 100-metre-long check dam, which is a wall-like structure across the river, is being built nearly eight km upstream of Poondi reservoir.
This is the eighth storage structure being built between Kesavaram anicut and Ennore creek.
While this means better groundwater recharge for about 10 villages in the radius, it would also divert surplus water to Veeraraghava Perumal temple tank that has remained dry for many decades. This will also prevent floodwater from draining completely into the sea.
For many villages such as Narayanapuram, Chinnamanjakuppam, Narthavada and Periamanjakuppam, the river is a lifeline as residents depend on it for drinking water and irrigation needs. When the river dries up, it is reflected in the groundwater level.
Five more months
Pattaraiperumbudur panchayat president M. Chinnadurai said: “Once the check dam is built, we will have water in the river for five more months. We need not worry about failing borewells or the dipping water table.” The river is the main source for cultivation for over 1,000 acres of land in the radius, including in Pattaraiperumbudur, Nemiliagaram and Periamanjakuppam. Various varieties of flowers and vegetables, groundnut, millets and paddy are cultivated in these villages, he said.
Residents noted that surplus water from five tanks upstream, including Mannur and Thiruvalangadu, joins the river near Pattaraiperumbudur and flows to Poondi reservoir.
Officials of the Water Resources Department, which is executing the project, said the check dam being built for will facilitate water stagnation up to 1.2 km upstream for several months. The water table will improve from the present 40 feet to 20 feet.
Concrete channel
The Rs. 5-crore project will be completed in September. “We plan to build a concrete channel for a distance of nearly 12 km along Chennai-Tiruttani Highway to convey surplus water from the check dam to reach Veeraraghava Perumal temple tank and help groundwater recharge in the region,” said an official.
Residents also suggested that surplus water conveyed through the channel be diverted to water bodies enroute such as Pandur and Kanagavallipuram and augment drinking water supply.
