Unpolluted part of Cooum to get 5th check dam

“The check dam will be constructed in the unpolluted stretch of the Cooum river at Pudhumavilangai village in Tiruvallur and the work is expected to start by this month. The purpose of the check dam is to save water from draining into the sea. We have planned to construct a check dam and a wall-like structure across the river, which will help to store floodwater. The check dam will be built at a height of 2.30 metre across the 100-metre-wide river at cost of Rs 7.80 crores,” said S Babu, Assistant Engineer, WRD. Stating that this would be the fifth check dam in the district, the official said that the check dam would also help in recharging the water table.

“The new check dam will be completed in six months, and after construction, the nearby places such as Kadambathur, Kodancheri, Satharai, and Agaram will get sufficient water to cultivate crops. Also, the excess water stored in new check dams will be diverted to nearby lakes in Kesavanallur, Agaram, and Kadambathur,” said Babu.

Currently, of the four check dams in this stretch of Cooum river, two dams got damaged during the Chennai Floods in 2015. As a result, the official said that they have submitted a proposal to reconstruct the check dams, which would likely be approved within two months.