Tanks, bed dams in Puducherry reach full storage in recent rain

Puducherry's 84 tanks and 25 bed dams are full due to heavy rain, prompting officials to regulate water levels.

:

All the 84 tanks and 25 bed dams in Puducherry are filled to its full capacity due to heavy rain and discharge of water from dams in neighbouring districts of Tamil Nadu.

As per data available with the Public Works Department, the 84 tanks spread across two municipalities and five commune panchayats have a total storage capacity of 1,599.88 million cubic feet. The Ousteri tank spread across 802 hectares, the largest in the region, has a storage capacity of 540 mcft. The combined storage in all the tanks stood at around 1,599 mcft, data revealed.

Steps have been taken to regulate inflow into the tanks, especially those at Ousteri, Bahour, Vadhanur, Abhisekapakkam, Korkadu and Murungapakkam to avoid any breach to the tank bund, a PWD official said.

“All the tanks are brimming to its full capacity and to avoid any breach, we have started reducing the storage taking into consideration the safety of those residing close to the waterbodies. We are maintaining water storage at a safe level. Similarly, the bed dams across the rivers of Sankarabarani, Pambaiyar, Guduvaiyar, Malatar and Pennaiyar also have full storage. The inflow of water to Puducherry from Sathanur and Veedur dams was continuing,” the official said. 

On Friday, the region received intermittent rain. Schools and colleges remained closed in Puducherry and Karaikal.