Veeranam tank reaches capacity

Veeranam tank reaches full capacity, supplying water to Chennai and irrigating agricultural lands in Cuddalore district.

The water level in Veeranam tank situated in Sethiyathoppu in Cuddalore district has reached its capacity of 47.50 feet on Wednesday night.

The Veeranam tank is one of the main sources of drinking water to Chennai city and it irrigates about 45,000 acres of agricultural lands in Bhuvanagiri, Kumaratchi, Parangipettai, Keerapalayam and Kattumannarkovil blocks in Cuddalore district.

It gets water from the Coleroon and the Vadavar channel.

A senior PWD official said the tank had been receiving an inflow of 154 cubic feet per second (cusecs) of Cauvery water from the Upper Anicut. Water is being discharged into the Vadavar channel from the Lower Anicut.

The authorities have also resumed supply of 74 cusecs of water from the tank to meet drinking water needs of Chennai.

“Poor water management has resulted in nearly 2 tmc feet of water wasted as run-off annually. The PWD should evolve a strategy and release the surplus water into the irrigation channels and canals. This would also recharge the ground water level in these areas,” said K.V. Elangeeran, president of the Cauvery Delta Farmers Federation.

He added, “Though the previous AIADMK Government had sanctioned a sum of ₹44 crore for desilting the tank in 2014, the funds were not utilised properly. The government should ensure the tank is desilted to increase its storage capacity.”