The State government has planned to approach Asian Development Bank (ADB) for funding the second phase of the Climate Change Adaptation Programme in the Cauvery delta.
The project currently under implementation in the delta aims to protect the coastal districts from cyclones, reduce flood risks made worse by climate change, improve distribution of water for irrigation and prevent sea water intrusion in the Vennar Sub Basin. It is being implemented with up to 70% loan assistance from ADB and 30% contribution from the State government.
Construction of additional tail-end regulators, re-construction/rehabilitation of all existing tail-end regulators and improvement of drains by widening and desilting them upstream were taken up under the project.
In the first phase of the project, various works were taken up in rivers and drains such as Harichandranathi, Adappar, Vellaiyar, Pandavaiyar, Valavanar drain, Vedaranyam canal, Uppanar drain and 13 various pumping schemes in parts of lower Vennar system in Tiruvarur and Nagappattinam districts. The project is under implementation from 2016 at a revised estimate of ₹1,110.17 crore. It would benefit an ayacut of 78,000 hectares.
Of the seven packages taken up under the project, four covering Pandavaiyar, Valavanar drain, Vedaranyam canal, Uppanar drain and 13 various pumping schemes have been fully completed so far.
Works on the remaining three packages covering Harichandranathi, Adappar and Vellaiyar are planned to be completed before March 31, 2022, as the project has been hampered by issues such as limited working season, Gaja, Nivar and Puravi cyclones, besides the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a Policy Note on Water Resources Department tabled in the Assembly recently.
As a follow up, the government has planned to take up phase II covering Vennar, Paminiyar, Koraiyar, Kaduvaiyar, Marakkakoraiyar, Manankondanar and six pumping schemes.
The Preliminary Project Report for the works at an estimate of about ₹1,825 crore is proposed to be submitted to the Department of Economic Affairs of the Union government seeking further funding from ADB.
