“No need for barrage across the Cauvery”

There is no need for constructing a barrage across the Cauvery river, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa made it clear in the Assembly on Monday.

Responding to the plea of Communist Party of India (Marxist) whip K. Balakrishnan, the Chief Minister explained that steps were being taken to construct a check dam on the river in Kambarasanpettai village, near Muthurasanallur, in Srirangam taluk, at a cost of Rs. 32 crore. As the height of the check dam would be 1.5 metres, this would not endanger banks of the river.

The proposed check dam would only help improvement of the ground water table and availability of water throughout the year for drinking water schemes.

At the site of the check dam, there was no scope for enhanced irrigation.

She referred to the problem of falling groundwater table and water shortage for drinking water and farming in and around the Cauvery riverbed following the drawing of water for a combined water supply project in Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga districts and another project for the Tiruchi city.