Four yrs on, collapsed check-dam in Tirukandalam yet to be repaired

The state government, with the objective of providing sufficient water for farmers living in and around Tirukandalam in Tiruvallur district, decided to build a check dam in 2013-14 at a cost of Rs. 32.90 crore. The Public Works Department (PWD) began construction soon afterwards and the dam with a height of 5.5 metres and length of 175 metres having six shutters was almost complete by end of 2015. The dam was planned to maintain the ground level water and store 160 million cubic feet of water.

Farmers in more than 20 villages including Tirukandalam, Alinjivakkam, Athithangikavanur, Arikampedu, Guruvoyal, Akaramkandigai, Sethupakkam etc were jubiliant as they were to benefit from the water stored in the dam that was expected to ease cultivation of crops.

However, the heavy downpour in December 2015 due to north east monsoon resulted in overflowing of all water bodies. “Water released from Poondi river which was recorded as 85000 cubic feet per second reached Tirukandalam on December 3 and the check dam which was constructed just a few days before the rains could not withstand the velocity of the water resulting in a collapse of the wall on the left shore,” a PWD official said. Soon, the wall washed away along with the shutters and at least 30 meters of the wall was damaged.

“The check dam project became a reality after many years of protest. Just as we were about to reap its benefits, the dam collapsed and became useless,” said a farmer from Tirukandalam.

While PWD officials blame the heavy monsoon, farmers point out that shoddy construction was behind the collapse of the dam. “While this newly built dam gave away, the check dam at Thamaraipakkam built 150 years ago and was just eight kilometres away withstood the floods without any damage. The collapse happened because of the poor construction of the dam and not due to rains,” said another farmer on condition of anonymity.

However, the farmers are more upset that no action has been taken so far to rebuild the check dam. Speaking to DT NEXT, Tiruvallur collector R. Maheshwari said that the district officials were coordinating with the PWD to begin repairs and that it would be taken up soon. “We are aware of the farmers’ woes and are acting on it,” she said.

A senior PWD official in charge of water bodies in the region said that a repair and improvement work of the flood damaged portion of the check dam would commence soon and a government order has already been passed for the same with an estimated about of Rs. 18.17 crore. He also claimed that the earlier dam was not damaged due to poor construction but due to unexpected heavy rain.