1,335 handpumps to be re-energised with harvesting structure in T’malai

TIRUVANNAMALAI: The district administration, which created a world record by building more than 1,000 farm ponds all over Tiruvannamalai earlier, has plans to attempt another record of re-energising defunct handpumps and bores in 14 days, officials said.

“The aim is to improve the water table as the defunct bores would be re-energised and would in turn act as water harvesting structures,” Collector B Murugesh told DT Next.

The scheme aims to cover and re-energise a total of 1,335 bores in the district within this period which would allow the water table to increase. The work envisages digging a 3 metre square pit around the defunct bore to a depth of 2.50 metres.

“The bore shaft will be covered with a slotted mesh cover to this depth while the sides would be filled with 8 units of 40 mm metal (jalli in Tamil)” an official said.

The four sides will have a solid block lining wall of 0.40 m height with each side having four 110 mm PVC pipes while the total construction material required for each pit will include 70 bricks, 15 cubic feet of M sand and 1.25 bags of cement.

“Rain water will be diverted to each such bore from the nearby areas which in turn would enter the pit through the slotted mesh. The top of the bore will be fitted with a cap to prevent untoward accidents, sources revealed.

While Collector Murugesh initiated the process at Vengikkal near the Collectorate on Friday, officials said four companies would oversee this international venture for nearly a year before according it world record status.

However, the project has also included the Jawadhu Hills where 20 bores are to be re-energised. Sources revealed that they planned to take up 25 defunct bore and work on them. “As some bores are near rocky terrain we plan to take up 25 bores and finally whittle it down to 20. These bores are located in 12 village panchayats in the hills,” they added.