Minister refutes charges of inefficient water management

Addressing reporters, Jayakumar said that initially water was released for Samba cultivation and already water had reached tail-end areas. So, the flood in Cauvery River will also reach the tail-end areas as the water bodies were desilted, said 

Jayakumar.

He also said that 924 ponds and water bodies were filled by the flood in Cauvery River basin, but the opposition party leaders, including DMK working president MK Stalin, are criticising the government as if nothing was done.

A committee of retired Chief Engineers of PWD had submitted a report on construction of check dams in Tamil Nadu and Rs 1,000 crore had been allotted towards the construction of 74 check dams. Apart from the check dams Rs 1,250 crore had been allotted for Athikadavu-Avinasi scheme and preliminary works had commenced on the project.

The state government had also allotted Rs 7,000 crores to interlink Cauvery with other minor rivers in the southern districts such as Agni and Gundaru. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) had been prepared for the project and the work is underway, said Jayakumar.