The district administration has launched a project called groundwater recharge shaft, a method to harvest rainwater and recharge the groundwater.
The project would be taken up on a stretch of 62 km on the Uppar Odai covering villages in Kovilpatti, Ottapidaram and in Thoothukudi at a cost of Rs. 83 lakh. It would be undertaken by the Public Works Department (Water Resource Organisation) and completed before October, Collector M. Ravikumar said here on Wednesday.
Normally, Thoothukudi depends on northeast monsoon which begins in the middle of October and ends by December 15. Northeast monsoon rainfall accounts for two-thirds of the district’s average annual rainfall of 661.2 mm. So, recharging shafts would be laid at 58 locations, he said.
During the monsoon season, enormous amount of rainwater from the Korampallam tank would flow into the sea. Once this project was established, such a flow of water could be prevented. During the last monsoon season, around 40,000 cusecs of water was let into the sea, Assistant Engineer, PWD, X. Basteen Veenu, Korampallam Division, told The Hindu .
The flow of rainwater from tanks in Kadambur would reach Korampallam tank and reduce the salinity level. Ten villages would benefit from this recharge shaft work, which was earmarked on 29 upstream locations and 29 downstream locations from Osanoothu, Ottapidaram taluk. The recharge shafts would be connected to the Uppar Odai at depths ranging from 35 to 60 meter, he said.
