Amrit Sarovar Scheme: 56 spots chosen in Vellore

VELLORE: The water table and water availability in Vellore district is expected to increase following the district administration identifying 56 locations to construct minor irrigation tanks under the Centre’s Amrit Sarovar Scheme, Rural Development officials said.

The 56 locations were identified through remote sensing via satellite and plans are being drawn up to start work expeditiously once officialdom gives the go ahead, they said.

Already work has commenced on 11 tanks, 6 of which are already ready. under the scheme, 1 crore litres of water is to be conserved in each tank which in turn will recharge the ground water table in addition to making water available for drinking purposes.

However, remote sensing went awry when a location which was identified in Katpadi block turned out to be a plot layout. Hence the officials scouted around and found a suitable location at a short distance away.

“The need for the scheme arose as other than 4 firkas, the remaining 17 firkas in the district come under the “critical” or “over exploited category” said Rural Development EE Senthil Kumar. “Only in Melpadi firka can bores be sunk as this is not permitted in other firkas,” he added.

Elaborating Senthil Kumar said, “The plan to create new water bodies can also be labelled a RWH (Rain Water Harvesting) exercise as stored water will ensure that affected firkas are slowly brought back from the critical and over exploited categories.”

In a bid to encourage the work, Collector Kumaravel Pandian inspected irrigation tank at Kanikaniyan village.