Members of ‘Save Thalaignayiru Committee’, who have been fighting for a shift in the site for the construction of regulators, have urged Public Works Department to have a detailed discussion with them before executing the project.
According to the project, funded by Asian Development Bank at an estimate of about ₹950 crore, the PWD has planned to construct regulators at two places on the western side but the farmers say that both places would do more harm than good in harvesting storm water. Instead, the farmers suggest two other places on the eastern side to check the entry of seawater into the panchayat union which is almost at sea level.
In a memorandum to the Chief Engineer, PWD, Tiruchi, president of the committee Somu. Ilango referred to the recommendation of an expert committee which visited Thalaignayiru panchayat union post-tsunami and presented a report on harnessing the storm water to be utilised for irrigating the fields.
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“Thalaignayiru is close to sea level and care must be taken to protect the union from seawater intrusion. The expert committee, led by R.K. Sivanappan, had recommended that the entire union accounted for a total water spread area of 740 hectares– 480 hectares in Thalaignayiru, 160 ha. in Adhanur, 20 ha. in Dhani and 80 ha. in Vandal.
The committee had ascertained that it was possible for harvesting rainwater and storm water on an area of 1,600 hectares in Thalaignayiru union which could be best utilised for irrigating 3,200 ha. “But, it is being wasted and let into sea,” he pointed out.