Special desilting works on irrigation, drainage canals inaugurated in Tiruchi

WRD initiates ₹16.70 crore desilting project on irrigation canals to benefit 1.18 lakh acres in the district.

The Water Resources Department (WRD) on Saturday began special desilting works on various irrigation and drainage canals across the district sanctioned at an estimated cost of ₹16.70 crore.

About 115 works covering about 343.14 km of different canals across the district would be cleared of silt under the initiative by the River Conservation and the Ariyaru divisions of the WRD. The execution of the works would benefit about 1.18 lakh acres of cultivable lands in the district, officials said.

Minister for Municipal Administration K. N. Nehru and School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi inaugurated the works at separate events held during the day. While Mr. Nehru inaugurated the desilting of the Kudamuritti canal in the city, Mr. Poyyamozhi inaugurated the work on the Katturu in Navalpattu on the outskirts of the city.

The Kudamuritti canal is a major drain which carries the rain and flood discharges to the Cauvery river from the Puthur Weir in the city. The canal would be desilted for a length of about 6,100 metres at an estimated cost of ₹1.78 crore. The desilting of the canal would help prevent flooding of residential areas, situated off the Vayalur Road in the city, during the monsoon, officials said.

The Kattaru flows from the Pudukulam in Suriyur and runs via Kumbakudi, Navalpattu, Cholamadevi and flows into the Cauvery at Vengur. About 2,000 metres of the canal would be desilted at a cost of ₹35 lakh.

These apart, various stretches of Pullampadi, Kodingal, New Kattalai High Level Canal and other irrigation and drainage canals would be desilted under the initiative, a WRD official said.

Collector M. Pradeep Kumar, Mayor M. Anbazhagan, S. Sivakumar, Superintending Engineer Nityanandam and Rajendran, Executive Engineers, WRD, and other officials attended the events.