Rs 565 crore for lift irrigation project

CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami will on Wednesday inaugurate the Rs 565 crore project to divert surplus floodwater from Mettur Dam to the Sarabanga River in Salem, through lift irrigation technique. Over 100 tanks in Edappadi, Sankari, Mettu, and Omalur will benefit from the move, says the government. The project was announced on the floor of the Assembly on July 15 last year. The scheme will provide water to 33 tanks in Edappadi and 67 tanks in M Kalipatti tank group, covering total ayacut of 4,238 acres.

According to the Government Order, Rs3,503 lakh will be spent on acquiring land through private negotiations, under the 2013 legislation. The main offtake for the scheme is  proposed on the left flank of Mettur reservoir, up to a length of 100 metre. The water pumped in main pumping station located in Thippampatti village hamlet of Gonur village will be taken to two tank groups by two outlets – Mecheri Tank Group which starts from Kalipatti Tank and Nangavalli Tank Group which starts  from Nangavalli Tank.

About 214 cusesc of water is proposed to be pumped for 30 days. Hence, 555 million cubic feet of flood surplus water of Mettur reservoir will be diverted under the scheme. The  scheme will bring relief to ryots and residents which has been suffering from the vagaries of monsoon. Lack of water in the area has also been  blamed for lack of industrial development. According to official sources, the ground water table in the region has gone down alarmingly rendering  open dry wells useless and people have to go in for borewells at a  depth of 300  metres.

‘Don’t put up banners’
Chennai: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Pannerselvam on Monday told party cadre not to cause inconvenience to the public by putting up cutouts and flex banners. In the joint letter the leaders said, joint letter, ‘’You (AIADMK cadre) must always keep in mind the High Court order against erecting banners and not cause inconvenience to the public.”

Muralidhar Rao meets CM
Chennai: BJP national general secretary P Muralidhar Rao on Monday met CM Edappadi K Palaniswami at his residence Sources said the meeting lasted for nearly 30 minutes. There was no official word and the leaders did not address reporters after the meeting. Meanwhile, senior ministers D Jayakumar and P Thangamani held discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. The meeting assumes significance as the State had written to Centre requesting to avoid seeking certain information for NPR.

Rs 3,503 lakh to be spent on acquiring land through private negotiations, under the 2013 legislation, says a Government Order