CM allots Rs 632 cr for flood works

Replying to the debate on the demand for the grants for the PWD Department, he announced five projects to divert surplus flood water in five districts at a cost of Rs 632 crore. 

“The surplus floodwater from the Mettur dam would be pumped into Sarabanga river to fill up dried up tanks at a cost of Rs 565 crore,” he said, adding that work to divert the surplus water from the Varathama River at Palani in Dindigul to Karungkulam at Ottanchathiram at a cost of Rs 60 crore. 

Palaniswami also announced the construction of a reservoir across Elumichaiyaru at South Kallidaikurichi village in Tirunelveli district at a cost of Rs 110 crore. A new tank would be built across Ponni Odai at Sokkanur Agraharam village in Salem at a cost of Rs 27 crore while 12 check dams would be built at eight districts at a cost of Rs 105.9 crore, he said. 

In an effort to improve the groundwater availability in Tiruvarur and Thanjavur districts, the Chief Minister said that 155 deep borewells would be constructed in Cauvery and Vennar river beds in Tiruvarur, while 26 groundwater recharging facilities at the tanks at a cost of Rs 12 crore. “In Thanjavaru, 605 deep borewells would be built on Cauvery, Vennar and Agniyaru river beds while 99 groundwater recharging infrastructures would be constructed at the tanks at a cost of Rs 49 crore,” he said.