Chennai, July 19 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department (WRD) is set to restore 100 water bodies across the state under the Union government’s Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), with an allocated fund of Rs 111 crore.
Of these, 11 tanks are located in the Chennai region and 89 in the Madurai region.
The project, aimed at rejuvenating tanks to improve water storage, mitigate floods, and enhance irrigation potential, will be executed with joint funding — 60 per cent from the Union government and the remaining 40 per cent from the state government.
Tamil Nadu had submitted the proposal for funding under PMKSY in 2023 and received administrative and financial sanction recently. WRD officials said that the restoration efforts would include desilting, strengthening of bunds, creating bird islands, and plugging sewage inflows.
Each water body is expected to receive about Rs 1.5 crore. The Chief Engineer of the WRD’s Design, Support, and Construction Department stated that the project will commence by the end of 2025 and is expected to be completed by December 2026.
In the Chennai region, the 11 water bodies identified are located in suburban and upstream areas such as Tambaram, Thalambur, Chengalpet, and Thiruvallur.
The department has initiated joint surveys with the revenue department to demarcate tank boundaries and issue eviction notices to encroachers within 14 days. The sizes of these tanks vary between 50 hectares and 165 hectares.
In the Madurai region, which includes the districts of Kallakuruchi, Madurai, Sivagangai, and Ramanathapuram, the WRD has zeroed in on tanks that were prone to flooding during the past five years. In Kallakuruchi, tanks in Thyagadurgam, Kallakuruchi, and Thirunavalur will be restored, while in Sivagangai, the focus will be on tanks in Kallal, Sakkotai, and Devakottai.
Madurai’s core city tanks and those in RS Mangalam, Nainarkoil, Thiruvadanai, and Mudukulathur in Ramanathapuram will also be revived.
Officials said that the project aims not only to improve water storage and reduce urban flooding but also to make these water bodies eligible for the “encroachment-free” certification. This tag will be issued by the Ministry of Jal Shakti following inspections.
“Once encroachments are cleared, we will apply for the certification, which will ensure long-term protection of these tanks,” the official added.
–IANS
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