Hogenakkal a good water source for Chennai: farmers

By Our Special Correspondent

TIRUCHI, JULY 31. The Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association has urged the Government to study the alternative sources available for ensuring a perennial and good quality drinking water supply for Chennai.

Mr. G. Kanagasabhai, president of the Tiruchi District Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association, said the association favoured the Hogenakkal as a source as it had certain distinct advantages over the other two sources - Pallipalayam and Veeranam.

Mr. Mahadhanapuram Rajaram, vice-president of the association, said the Hogenakkal had a perennial supply and even during summer when the Mettur would be closed for irrigation, it would be easy to draw about 1,000 cusecs per day from the Hogenakkal.

Its water was free of pollution and quality far superior to water drawn either at Pallipalayam or Veeranam.

There were about a dozen major industries on the banks of the Cauvery discharging their effluents in the river, and during summer when the flow would be limited, water at Pallipalayam and Veeranam would be of an inferior quality.

The Veeranam had to get its supply only from the Coleroon via the Vadavar, 300 km below the Hogenakkal, and supplying water upto Vadavar during summer would be impossible.

Also, the capacity of the Veeranam tank would not be sufficient to meet the entire irrigation needs of its ayacut spread over 40,000 hectares and the needs of Chennai during summer.

The Hogenakkal scheme also had the additional advantage of getting supplies as and when the project for inter-basin surplus water diversion of peninsular rivers was executed.

The Alamatti dam when linked to the Hogenakkal could ensure free flow to Chennai if the Hogenakkal-Chennai scheme was implemented.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : Strategy to spur textile exports
Next     : Farmers on tenterhooks as Mettur level fast
           depletes