Pre-feasibility study on increasing depth of Poondi reservoir begins

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Water resources department has commenced a pre-feasibility study to increase the depth of Poondi reservoir.

The reservoir is the drinking water source for Chennai and adjoining areas.

The study is for increasing the depth of the reservoir from the present 35 ft to 37 ft. The reservoir can store 3.231 tmcft of water and taking into consideration the future requirements, the department is for enhancing the storage capacity to 5 tmcft.

However, the residents of Pandur village of Tiruvallur district which is near to the reservoir have strongly objected to the increase in storage capacity of the reservoir.

K. Padmanabhan, a retired employee of Tamil Nadu government told IANS said: "Whenever the water level crosses 32 ft, the ten villages, including Pandur village, is inundated. We have petitioned the district collector and senior officials of Water resource department but to no avail."

He said that the residents will mobilise people from all villages and conduct road blockade against the move to increase the storage capacity.

Ahmad Pasha, another resident of Pandur, said that the villagers were not against the increase of storage capacity but wanted the water resources department to prevent ways against the flooding in villages.

However, Water Resources Department(WRD) officials said that during Monson, water overflows and is released to the Kosathalayiar river.

A WRD official told IANS that the project feasibility is commenced and there won't be any going back. He said that the pre-feasibility report will be submitted to the government in October and work will commence after that.