Ahead of northeast monsoon, encroachments along water channel in Old Town Vellore razed

Encroachments on British-era Kanaru water channel demolished in Vellore to prevent monsoon inundation, restoring original width.

Encroachments were demolished on the British-era Kanaru water channel at Thottapalayam in Old Town area here on Tuesday as part of northeast monsoon preparedness.

A team of Water Resources Department (WRD) officials, along with corporation and revenue officials, are involved in the three-day exercise, which will be completed on Wednesday. Most of the encroachments were built more than two decades ago.

“Illegal constructions on the channel has blocked the free flow of excess rainwater during monsoon. This led to the inundation of Old Town area,” E. Amrish, Assistant Engineer, WRD (Vellore Anaicut), told The Hindu.

The Corporation officials said the drive was based on an order issued by the Madras High Court acting upon a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) to restore the original width of the water channel by demolishing illegal structures. Notices were served to those who occupied the land near the water channel five months ago as per the court order. Three cents of land would be provided to each of the affected families.

WRD officials said the Kanaru water channel, which belongs to WRD but maintained by the civic body, was built in the early 1900s by the British to discharge excess rainwater from nearby hillocks to the Palar river.

The aim was to prevent inundation of the town housing the fort where British forces and their families stayed. “Over the years, residential buildings came up along the channel, especially in the Old Town area. Encroachments blocked water flow and inundated town areas like old bus terminus opposite to the Vellore fort and market complex as these areas are located on the foothills of the hillock,” said V. Muralidaran, tahsildar (Vellore).

At present, Kanaru channel runs to a distance of around 2.5 km from the hillock before it flows into the river along with other channels such as Nicholson canal. The channel is seven metres wide and two metres deep.