11 dams in the state to get new lease of life

 

C Shivakumar

Chennai:

Eleven dams in the state would get a new lease of life under the first phase of the Rs 745.49 crore World Bank project, according to a senior Water Resources Organisation (WRO) official.

The WRO official told Express that 104 of the 127 dams including 38 Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) dams generating hydro-power, would be covered under the funds to enhance it for usage of irrigation, drinking water and hydro-power generation.

The project would be implemented in four phases and would be completed by 2018. In the first phase Adavinainar Koil dam, Vadakupachayar dam, Nambiar dam, Kodumudiyar dam and Manimuthar dam in Tirunelveli district, Poigayar dam in Kanyakumari district, Vidur dam and Gomukhinadhi in Villupuram district, Mordhana in Vellore district, Siddhamalli in Ariyalur district and Kodayanar in Dindigul district would be covered.

A total of Rs 63 crore has been allocated for the purpose, a WRO official said. He said the technical and administration procedures have been completed and work is about to be started.

The main aim is to enhance the strength of the dam so that it can withstand the floods.

Interestingly, most of the dams are scheduled to be taken for maintenance as they have crossed over 40 to 50 years.  The work will be started adhering to World Bank procedures.

“First we will be studying the internal behavior of the dam after which it will be strengthened to withstand natural calamities for a long period of time. A hydrology study is also being conducted simultaneously,” the WRO official said.

The official said that the steel shutter conditions for regulating the flood will also be checked and re-strengthened or replaced depending upon the requirement.

Interestingly, six hydro-electric dams will also been covered under the project. These include Avalanche dam, Glenmorgan dam, Mukurthy dam, Porthimund dam in Nilgiris district, Kadamparai dam in Coimbatore district and Servalar dam in Tirunelveli district. The WRO official said that the project will also cover 107-year-old Pechhiparai dam besides 25 other dams in the second phase. The preliminary process has already started, he said.