38 villages to get superb drinking water supply - New amazing change in the Madurantakam lake near Chennai!!
Posted on: 07/Dec/2022 9:25:48 AM
The rejuvenation of the famous Madurantakam lake was started by the WRD recently and this was mainly done to prevent inundation during the monsoon in Chengalpet. An amount of Rs 120 cr would be spent for the rejuvenation work of this largest water body in this district. The entire work would get over in another 2 years and this was according to some officials of WRD.
It is learnt that after the rejuvenation works gets completed 38 villages in and around the district would have better drinking water facilities. The Madurantakam lake would also have a capacity to irrigate 3077.49 hectares of ayacut land.
It was explained by a senior official from WRD that the lake would be desilted and its storage capacity would be increased to 791 mcft. He threw light on how due to silting up the lake`s storage capacity has shrunk from 694 mcft to 530 mcft.
He concluded that the silt would be used to form a bund in the foreshore area. The height of the foreshore lands would also be increased by using the silt. To allow the water flow in a controlled manner when the lake becomes full, the project would include a spillway with 12 shutters. Release of water would be regulated by the spillways and water logging on the agricultural lands would be avoided.
The farmers expressed their unhappiness regarding WRD starting the rejuvenation work without proper planning. According to Mr. M Venkatesan, president of Chengalpet district`s farmers association it has taken 3 decades for the rejuvenation work to begin but the opinion of the farmers were not considered by district administration and WRD. He added that construction of a bund on the foreshore lands might affect water flow toa few hamlets and farms located upstream. To ensure the flow of water is smooth to upstream areas, inlets would be constructed every kilometer.
