Stating that implementation of Thoni Maduvu project in Salem district and diverting the water will help refill water bodies in Anthiyur and Bhavani areas, All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi has urged the district administration to take up the issue with the State government.
M. Gurunathan, district secretary, Erode North District of the party, in a petition to the Collector, said areas in Kolathur in Salem district and Anthiyur in Erode district were receiving water from Western Ghats. Due to inadequate rainfall, borewell had to be dug for 1,400 metre depth to get water. As the earlier proposal for constructing a check dam at Thoni Maduvu in Kolathur taluk was dropped by the State government, farmers, the public, engineers, surveyors and social activists joined together and formed a committee and carried out a detailed survey at Thoni Maduvu for 10 months.
The petition said the study revealed that a check dam could be constructed at Thoni Maduvu and water could be diverted to reach Gundam village through a channel. Later, the water could be brought to Kolathur, Anthiyur and Bhavani areas by using the trenches dug by the Forest Department.
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The petition said the water could be used to refill 67 lakes, 91 ponds and could benefit a population of six lakh and also help recharge 5,781 wells, 12,221 agri borewells and 2,835 panchayat borewells in Anthiyur and Bhavani areas.