The State government has allocated ₹9.9 crore for desilting major water courses and waterbodies in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur and Cuddalore districts, as part of preparations by the Public Works Department (PWD) before the advent of the northeast monsoon in October.
Of the total amount, ₹6.5 crore is meant for works coming under the Araniar basin, Kosathalaiyar basin (₹2 crore each) and Lower Palar basin (₹2.5 crore), all of which will benefit Chennai and surrounding areas. The Coleroon Basin will get ₹2 crore and the Vellar Basin ₹1 crore. The remaining ₹40 lakh will be spent on water courses in the jurisdiction of the Krishna Water Supply Division-I in Chepauk, according to a recent order issued by the PWD.
Last year, the State government earmarked ₹7.65 crore, using which 51 works were taken up. This year, 14 works have been planned.
Repairing eroded banks
Among the water courses to be covered in Chennai are the Velachery drain, the stretch of Veerangal Odai between Adambakkam tank and Pallikaranai marshland and repairs on eroded banks of the entire 25.7-km Kandaleru-Poondi Canal.
The main objective of the work is to clear debris from the Cooum, the Adyar, Otteri nallah, Buckingham and Virgumbakkam canals.
The government has directed PWD’s Engineer-in-Chief to ensure that while executing the work, dumping of solid waste in waterbodies was prevented, “effectively” involve local bodies, police and revenue officials “wherever necessary” and draw up a plan to prevent discharge of waste water into the waterbodies and instead divert it into sewage treatment plants.
