With threat of heavy rain in the next couple of days in Coimbatore looming large, the Public Works Department’s Water Resource Organisation (WRO) officials and their counterparts from the civic body are closely monitoring the water level in tanks in the city.
The WRO officials said they along with civic body officials were monitoring water level in the eight tanks under the latter’s maintenance and also the Kurichi Tank to ensure there was no flooding or breach of bunds.
Full tank level
As of Saturday, the water level in most of these tanks was one-and-half feet to three feet below the full tank level.
This meant that the tanks could take more water and there would be no necessity to open the shutters unless there was very heavy flow in River Noyyal or heavy downpour in the city.
Flow of water stopped
As far as the Valankulam Tank was concerned, it too had water level less than two feet below the full tank level. To prevent the water level rising, the WRO had a couple of days ago stopped the inflow of water into the tank by arresting the outflow at the Ukkadam Big Tank.
Additionally, the WRO and Corporation had cleaned the outlet on the eastern end of the tank, near the Sungam Junction.
Water conservation NGO Siruthuli’s Apex Committee member K. Mylswami said the WRO and Corporation should, however, keep an eye on the run-off water that could flow into Valankulam due to heavy rain in Town Hall, Race Course, and near the Coimbatore Collectorate.
Outlet pipes
The officials said that the two outlet pipes near the Sungam Junction could take care of any eventuality by conveying water into Sanganur Canal near Trichy Road.
The WRO officials added that their field staff were also checking the bunds in all the tanks and the organisation had kept ready sand bags, wooden poles, and heavy machinery to meet any eventuality.
Meanwhile, 25 personnel from the National Disaster Rescue Force reached Mettupalayam on Saturday to rescue people in the event of floods.