Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Sunday said the government would build check dams across the State over the next three years at an investment of ₹1,000 crore.
In the first phase, 62 such structures would be constructed at ₹292 crore this year.
A committee, comprising retired chief engineers, has been formed to select the locations. It will submit its report in a few months, after which work will begin.
Mr. Palaniswami, who inspected the flood-affected areas in Bhavani, Karungalpalayam, Kumarapalayam, and Pallipalayam in Namakkal district, said the government had posted nine senior IAS officers to monitor the flow of water released from the Mettur dam for farm operations in the Cauvery Basin and ensure that the water reached the tail-end areas. Usually, water reached the tail-end areas only after the commencement of full-fledged farm operations in the main delta region.
The Chief Minister reiterated that check dams could not be constructed across the Cauvery as it flowed in the plains.
Former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa announced construction of a barrage across the Kollidam between Adhanur and Kumaramangalam at ₹400 crore. “Though work had begun, a few patta land owners refused to part [with] their land. After consensus, work will resume,” he added.
The capacity of the Cauvery irrigation system was only 25,500 cusecs (cubic feet per second). Canals and branch canals would not be able to take more than this quantum. Hence, it was not possible to have water discharged over and above this level. Senior officials would visit the areas that had not received water for farm operations so far, speak to the farmers, and ensure the areas got water immediately, Mr Palaniswami said, adding water would reach the tail-end areas in a couple of days, he added.
Replying to a question on the proposal of linking the confluence of River Cauvery, Tirumanimuthar and Sarabanga, which are flowing in Salem district, Mr. Palaniswami said Jayalalithaa had mooted the proposal and allotted funds for carrying out preliminary studies. The government recently formed a special team comprising former senior engineers and experts to study the proposal of linking rivers flowing in the State and the team has commenced works on it.
In Erode, to a question on the progress of Kudimaramathu works, Mr. Palaniswami said that 1,519 lakes were desilted last year at a cost of ₹100 crore. Since, the works were completed successfully, works have begun to desilt 1,511 lakes at a cost of ₹ 328 crores in the current year and nine IAS officers are monitoring the works.
The Chief Minister said that 7,832 persons in 50 villages were affected due to the floods in Erode district and they were accommodated at 67 flood relief camps. Since the Bhavani and the Cauvery confluence at Bhavani it had affected people living on both the sides of the river. “People wanted permanent houses and the government will consider constructing tenements at a safe place,” he added. The Chief Minister said that after assessing the damage to houses and crops, compensation will be provided to them. A survey on crop damage will be taken after the flood recedes on agricultural lands and the government will ensure adequate compensation to the affected farmers for the crop loss, he said.
Mr. Palaniswami later held discussions with the ministers, Collectors, S. Prabhakar (Erode) and M. Asia Mariam (Namakkal), K. Satyagopal, Principal Secretary/Commissioner, Revenue Administration, Disaster Management and Mitigation, Ka. Balachandran, Principal Secretary, Commercial Taxes and Registration, regarding the flood situation in the two districts.
