A breach occurred in the bund of the Grand Anicut canal at Sanakarai near Peravurani in Thanjavur district on Sunday, within a few days of release of water for irrigation in delta districts.
A PWD lascar, who was patrolling along the bunds of the GA canal, had noticed the breach during the early hours.
The water, after being released into the canal on June 16 from Grand Anicut, had crossed Sanakarai on Saturday evening.
The breach had occurred in a stretch of 12 meters and the water flowed into a neighbouring lake. It was said that about 1,250 cusecs was flowing in the GA canal when the breach occurred.
On information, the Public Works Department (PWD) officials rushed to the spot and began the work on plugging the breach. Besides the field staff of the PWD, about 150 workers have been engaged in the operation. A few earth movers too were utilised, besides bulldozers and tippers, to plug the breech.
R.A. Murugesan, Executive Engineer, GA canal, who is camping at the site, told The Hindu that water had not gone waste as it was flowing into a lake. There were four lakes in the area. All of them were interconnected. After filling up of the first lake, water would be diverted to other lakes.
There was no need to decrease the water flow in the GA canal as branch canals such as Kalyana Odai, Pudupattinam Vaickal and others, which were branching off from the GA canal ahead of the breach site, had been opened for carrying water to the paddy fields.
Mr. Murugesan said that it was estimated that at least 3,000 sand bags would be required for plugging the breach. The operation would be carried out round the clock.
The Executive Engineer said that ‘mottu’ (big hole beneath the bund) would have caused the breach. The ‘mottu’ would have eroded further in the water current while it was flowing past the area. The breach would be plugged within a day or two. After arresting the seepage, water would be carried in the lower reaches of the canal from the breach site, the official said.