Public Works Department (PWD) has begun the ground work for constructing a bed dam across the Vaigai river at Sholavandan to restore direct supply of water to Thenur tank and to recharge groundwater table in and around Sholavandan.
The project, being implemented under the Artificial Recharge Scheme at a cost of Rs. 7.5 crore, also envisaged desilting of the Thenur canal for 6.4 km and lining it for nearly 750 metres, PWD sources said.
“With the flow of water in the river, construction of the dam was not possible now. Hence, we have started the lining work of the canal. Water supply will be stopped by February-end after which the dam construction work will begin,” a PWD official said. Stating that the bed level of the Vaigai river had gone down after the sand deposits were removed over a period of 30 years, the official said that it rendered Thenur canal defunct for nearly 25 years.
“Originally, supply of water to the Thenur irrigation tank was directly through the Vaigai river. After the riverbed level went below the canal bed level, the canal became defunct. This resulted in failure of replenishment of groundwater and many wells were abandoned,” the official said.
Later, the PWD officials diverted water to the tank through the first Branch Canal of Periyar Main Canal. “Now, we want to restore the direct supply of water from the river,” he added.
The dam would help accumulation of sand on the river and increase the bed level. Besides, helping the water to flow through the Thenur canal, which would help irrigation on around 365 hectares of ayacut, the project would help recharge of groundwater table for a radius of over one km.
The official pointed out that scooping out of sand had left around 10 infiltration wells of drinking water projects in a bad shape. These wells were serving water to the municipalities of Sholavandan, Tirumangalam and Mullipallam village. Increased sand deposits in the area will also help the water projects. The scheme is expected to be completed by June.
