Kollidam regulator: PWD to seek more funds to stop minor leaks

The Kollidam regulator at Mukombu (Upper Anicut) had collapsed on August 22 following heavy flow in the river. Nine shutters were washed away from the regulator. 

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, who inspected the spot, ordered the PWD officials to ensure that the water on Kollidam did not go waste. He also allotted a sum of Rs 95 lakh for the temporary works. The allocation was retrieved from the maintenance fund of the PWD.

The work was progressing at good pace after the Chief Minister’s visit and the operation to plug the breach was resumed with sand bags and boulders brought from various places. After a 16-day operation, officials announced that the work was nearing the final stage. However, the water was gushing through the gaps in the boulders. Though the workers filled those gaps with sugarcane straw, the water continued to trickle down.

In such a situation, PWD officials planned to seek more funds to plug the breach. “We managed to complete the work with the initially allocation.

Still water is gushing through the gaps. To fix this, we need additional funds. Over 300 workers were deployed for the previous operation to plug the breach. We managed to control the heavy flow. But, it needs a little more work to fill the gaps and arrest the leak,” an official from PWD said.

The official also added that despite the temporary work to prevent the water, it needs to be strengthened. “Though the present reinforcement can withstand heavy flow, the breached spot needs to be given a pucca finish. So, we have decided to seek more funds from the government,” the officials said.