Culvert across the surplus weir of Bahour Lake yet to become a reality

The construction of a culvert across the surplus weir of the Bahour Lake, a long-pending demand of residents of Vinayagapuram and Arangur, is yet to begin.

The construction of a culvert across the surplus weir of the Bahour Lake, a long-pending demand of residents of Vinayagapuram and Arangur, is yet to begin.

The project was conceived more than 10 years ago, and the delay on the part of the Public Works Department (PWD) in executing it has irked the residents. “The construction of a culvert at Kalingal is a long-pending demand of the residents of nearly 30 villages in Puducherry and Cuddalore. Though the Madras High Court had directed the PWD in January 2022 to construct the culvert within six months, the PWD is delaying the work,” said V. Chandrasekhar, president of Bangaru Vaickal Neeradhara Kootamaippu, an association of water-users.

He said the association was responsible for the upkeep of the lake as well as the Bangaru feeder channel. It was also tasked with minor irrigation functions, including rehabilitation under the Tank Rehabilitation Project that envisaged a revenue sharing in the ratio of 50:50 between the users and the PWD.

Under the Tank Rehabilitation Project, funded by the European Union, the tanks were managed by the local communities that formed tank associations. The project, which ran between 2004 and 2008, helped to double the storage capacity of several tanks and ensured a decentralised, people-managed irrigation system to prevent water wastage.

Bangaru Vaickal Neeradhara Kootamaippu had proposed the construction of a culvert across the weir at Kalingal to connect neighbouring villages and also to promote tourism in the lake, a biodiversity hotspot. In the absence of a culvert, residents of several villages take a circuitous route of over 3 kilometres.

“A sum of ₹1.27 crore from the auction of fishing rights in the lake in 2014 was originally planned to be used for the construction of the culvert since the association also had a 50% share in the fishing rights. However, the authorities concerned had deposited the amount in the Treasury. Though the funds for the construction of the culvert are available with the government, the work is yet to begin,” Mr. Chandrasekhar said.

“We have made repeated appeals to the authorities for a culvert, but to no avail. If the culvert is built, farmers will be able to take their produce on tractors,” says Munian, a resident of Arangur.