The Palar, which has been in full flow this year, may soon have two barrages and more check dams built in Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu districts. There are plans to divert surplus water to city lakes to cater to the city’s drinking water needs.
The projects are awaiting the State government’s nod. This year, nearly 3.5 tmcft was stored both as surface water and groundwater recharge in three recently constructed check dams alone across the Palar at Pazhayaseevaram, Esur Vallipuram and Vayalur. However, the river continued to have good flow as the regions upstream, including Kaveripakkam, received good rain during the southwest monsoon. About one tmcft of floodwater had drained into the sea, said officials of the Water Resources Department.
The department has submitted a proposal to build a ₹380-crore barrage across the river near Udayambakkam-Padalam for the benefit of residents and also convert the Vayalur check dam into a barrage. Once these two barrages with shutter arrangements are built, each of them would have a potential to store nearly 2.5 tmc both as surface and groundwater.
Officials said there was a proposal to increase the height of the Vayalur check dam up to five metre and convert it into a barrage. There is more scope for constructing such storage structures and recharging water table, and it could be pumped for drinking water and irrigation needs.
R. Muralimohan, secretary, Madurantakam Cooperative Sugar Mills Farmers Association, said the proposed barrage across the river near Udayambakkam-Padalam would benefit residents at least 25 villages. About 2,000 more acres may be registered for crushing at the nearby sugar mills once the project was implemented.
Farmers want the major project to be started in a couple of months. Groundnuts, paddy, banana and sugarcane are mainly cultivated in the region, he said.
