The long-pending demand for a check dam across the Palar is set to be fulfilled with the laying of the foundation stone on Monday.
Minister for Rural Industries P. Benjamin and Minister for Law C.Ve. Shanmugam participated in the “bhoomi puja” at a function on the banks of the Palar near Thirukazhukundram taluk.
The check dam is being built by the Water Resources Department through funds provided by the General Services Organisation (GSO), Kalpakkam, of the Department of Atomic Energy.
To be built at a cost of ₹32.50 crore, the check dam has been designed by the engineers of IIT Madras. It will benefit the villages of Kadalur and Vayalur and also meet the drinking needs of the region.
Mr. Benjamin said Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami had announced seven check dams during the Dr. MGR Centenary function in Kancheepuram district on August 30, 2017. Of the seven check dams, the State government had started work on the one at Esur-Vallipuram at a cost of ₹30.95 crore and work on the second check dam is set to begin shortly at the Kadalur-Vayalur.
He thanked the officials of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) for funding the project.
Rainwater harvesting
Kancheepuram District Collector P. Ponniah said the check dam at Kadalur-Vayalur villages would solve the twin problems of harvesting the rainwater and also preventing seawater intrusion. Both the villages located at the last mile of the Palar are affected by seawater intrusion.
The proposed check dam would run 1.20 km across the Palar with the height being 1.50 metre.
The proposed check dam would help harvest rainwater of up to one thousand million cubic (TMC) feet and help in storing 500 million cubic feet of sub surface water benefiting 4,000 acres of agricultural lands and ensuring drinking water supply to the IGCAR and Madras Atomic Power Station in Kalpakkam.
Arun Kumar Bhaduri, Director, IGCAR, urged the State government to complete the project, before the onset of the monsoon to help harvest rainwater.
