Tiruchi gets monsoon-ready; dredging work begins

Ahead of the Northeast monsoon, which is expected to set in the third or fourth week of October, the Tiruchi City Corporation (TCC) has begun dredging of important storm water and drainage canals in the city.

It is mainly aimed at clearing the silt along the canals so as to ensure free flow of rain water during the monsoon period, and to prevent water stagnation in residential areas and roads.

N. Ravichandran, Special Officer and Corporation Commissioner, told The Hindu that a sum of Rs. 56.55 lakh had been earmarked for the plan. As many as 20 major storm and drainage canals would be dredged during the drive. It had been decided to use earthmovers to clear silt in the canals which were wide and manual workers would be engaged in canals, which were narrow. All vulnerable canals that often clogged during the rainy season have been included in the project.

He said just six weeks were left for the onset of the Northeast monsoon. Dredging had already started on Kottai Vaical on Karur Bypass Road. A sum of Rs. 3.5 lakh had been earmarked for the canal alone. Rettai Vaical at Varaganeri on Thanjavur road and Nattu Vaical in Thiruvanaikoil were among the 20 canals listed for dredging.

Recollecting past incidents of flooding in Tiruchi city on various occasions, Mr. Ravichandran said that the officials have been asked to clear silt at inlet and outlet points of various canals. If there were encroachments along the canals, they would be removed in order to ensure free flow of water. Similarly, the canal along Madurai road and narrow canals in Thillai Nagar would also be cleared. All desilting and dredging works would be completed within a month.

The Commissioner said that low lying areas and the areas, which were vulnerable to water stagnation, had been identified in the city. Instructions had been given to officials of Srirangam, Golden Rock, K. Abishekapuram and Ariyamangalam Zonal officials to visit the vulnerable areas to take stock of the present condition. If needed, fund would be sanctioned to clear the silt along narrow canals.

Source:http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/tiruchi-gets-monsoon-ready-dredging-work-begins/article19658367.ece