Tamil Nadu - Vellore

Aqueduct of reservoir channel crumbles

VELLORE: An aqueduct across the Palar meant to convey water from the Morethana reservoir to various irrigation tanks crumbled following heavy rains in the last three days. Collector C. Rajendran, who visited the site , said that immediate steps would be taken to reconstruct the aqueduct.

It was constructed at the cost of Rs.1.25 crore in 2002 to carry water from the Morethana reservoir to feed eight irrigation tanks right up to the tank in Thorappadi near Vellore. Of the total length of the aqueduct of 400 metres, the structure for a length of 90 metres has crumbled. The Collector said that a proposal for reconstructing the aqueduct would be prepared through the Water Resources Organisation (WRO) of the Public Works Department (PWD), sent to the government and work started soon.

The Collector said in a release that he discussed with the officials of the WRO about the release of water from the reservoir for irrigation. On visiting the irrigation channel conveying water from the irrigation tank in Samundeepuram near Gudiyatham, he ordered the desilting and repair of the channel and the removal of all encroachments in the catchment area. Vellore district has received a daily average rainfall of 100.8 mm in the last four days. The death toll in the district increased to five, with the death of two more persons who died following inhalation of poisonous gas while descending into an open irrigation well .

Arakkonam received a record highest rainfall of 248 mm of rainfall during the 24 hours ending 8.30 a.m. on Saturday, followed by Gudiyatham 30.6 mm, Alangayam and Sholinghur 30 mm each, Ambur 28 mm, Vellore 27 mm, Melalathur 21.4 mm, Walajapet 21 mm, Vaniyambadi 20 mm, Tirupattur 19.3 mm and Arcot 14.6 mm.

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