Madurai
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday sought a response from the State on the status of the projects undertaken towards interlinking of waterbodies in the State. The court also asked the State to file a report on desilting of waterbodies.
A Division Bench of Justices N. Kirubakaran and S.S. Sundar sought a detailed report from the Public Works Department on the projects undertaken so far, the time required and the cost involved towards interlinking the waterbodies in the State. Also the court wanted PWD to respond on desilting of waterbodies in the State.
The Principal Secretary to the Public Works Department S.K. Prabakar informed the court that the interlinking of waterbodies in the State was taken up in a phased manner. The Engineer In Chief, Water Resources Department M. Bakthavathsalam was present during the hearing.
As part of the first phase, Thamirabarani river is being linked with the Karumeniyar and the Nambiyar rivers. Fifty% of the project has been completed so far and the entire project will be completed in two years, the court was informed.
Inspection was under way in the proposed Cauvery and South Vellar river linking project, which would be the first phase towards linking Cauvery and Gundaru via the Vaigai river. The Cheyyar and Pennaiyar and the Pennaiyar and Palar river were at the draft stage.
Further, the court was informed that there were 89 dams in the State under the PWD and so far desilting were carried out to a certain extent in Mettur, Amaravathi and Srivaikundam dams. The desilting of the other dams too will be taken up in a phased manner, the court was informed.
The court took cognisance of the submission made in the case and adjourned the hearing to April 10 for filing of the reports.