Tamirabharani - Karumaeniyar - Nambiyar linking project, which has been in the making since 2009, will be dedicated to the people positively in March 2023, Minister for Water Resources S. Durai Murugan has said.
Speaking to reporters after inspecting the digging of flood carrier channel to link the rivers at Thediyoor and Ponnakudi near here on Friday, Mr. Durai Murugan said the fourth and final phase of the project, costing about ₹872 crore, was going on to complete the remaining 48% of the work. In the third phase 99% of the work has been executed, he said.
As the flood carrier channel had to cross the 4-lane national highway at Ponnakudi, where a bridge was to be constructed, temporary roads with huge pipes beneath were being laid so that the flood water of the Tamirabharani during the northeast monsoon could be diverted at Vellankuzhi near Cheranmahadevi even during this October.
Since the project was shelved without any reason during the AIADMK regime between 2011 and 2021, the project cost has escalated from ₹369 crore to ₹872 crore.
“We designed this project for taking the surplus flood water of the Tamirabharani to the dry regions of Nanguneri, Thisaiyanvilai and Sattankulam taluks by linking it with the Karumeniyar and the Nambiyar,” Mr. Durai Murugan said.
The Minister said the government sand depot would become operational at Marthandampatti in Vaippar basin in Thoothukudi district within a week to ensure supply of the construction material to the users, who were now using M-sand.
When asked about the stone quarries of Tirunelveli district remaining closed after the Adaimithippankulam landslide in which four persons were killed on May 15, Mr. Durai Murugan said the stalemate was due to the quarry operators approaching the court directly after the Collector slapped fine for mining violations.
The unfortunate quarry mishap should have been approached compassionately considering the wellbeing of the workers relying on it for their livelihood. However, all the stone quarries in the district were closed following the fatal accident.
“The Collector was asked to inspect all the quarries after the accident and impose fine on the erring miners. At the same time, we wanted the quarries to function after paying the fine in the best interest of the labourers. However, the quarry operators, without meeting me to sort out the issue, approached the court. I am worried about the quarry workers and not about the owners or the operators. Even now I’m ready to sort out the issue by holding talks with the quarry owners. I was waiting for them till 10 p.m. on Thursday night and Friday morning also as they had informed that they would come and meet me. I’m prepared to even forgive them even if they had committed a mistake, for which they should pay the fine to ensure the continued operation of the quarries,” Mr. Durai Murugan said.
Speaker M. Appavu, Collector V. Vishnu and Palayamkottai MLA M. Abdul Wahab accompanied the Minister.
