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The Water Resources Department (WRD) has planned to complete construction of the main canals from Kottarai reservoir built across the Maruthaiyar river in Perambalur district before the onset of the North East monsoon.
Work on construction of the distribution canals branching off from the main canals is expected to commence soon with the notification of the acquisition of 50.58 hectares of land in Kottarai, Adhanur (North), Adhanur (South), Gudalore, Koothur, Sathanur, Thondapadi, Pujangarayanallur and Nochikulam villages in Alathur taluk for the purpose.
The construction of the canals would bring to fruition the Kottarai reservoir project, one of the major demands of the farmers of the region.
The project, announced in 2013, was taken up at an estimated cost of ₹108 crore. The reservoir aims at harvesting the rain flow in Maruthaiyar and a couple of other jungle streams. The project was scheduled to be completed by March 2018. However, the work was delayed due to the pandemic and land acquisition issues.
Construction of the reservoir, with a storage capacity of 212.45 million cubic feet of water, began in March 2016. The bunds of the reservoir run for a length of about 2,300 metres with two irrigation sluices. Two main irrigation canals are being built – one running a distance of 9.91 km and the other about 6.6 km.
The project was supposed to irrigate nearly 4,200 acres of dry land in Kottarai, Adhanur, Koothur, Bujangarayanallur, Nochikulam, Thondapadi, Azhagiripalayam, Koodalur and Sathanur. Besides, it would help improve the groundwater table substantially in the region and enable farmers to cultivate two crops a year.
When contacted, V. Velmurugan, Executive Engineer, WRD, Maruthaiyar Sub Division, said that construction of the main canals would be completed soon. “Only about 700 metres remains to be constructed in one of the two main canals and the work will be completed before North East monsoon. The present notification was for the distribution canals,” he said.
The WRD would commence work on the distribution canals after the sanction of funds and completion of the land acquisition process. “We expect to complete the work at the earliest; even if there were to be some interruption due to rain, we will complete the work by March,” he said.
Mr.Velmurugan said that though supply for irrigation has not commenced yet, pending the completion of the canals, the reservoir has already helped recharge the groundwater table in the region.
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