The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Tirunelveli News : 12 ooranis to be renovated in Tirunelveli

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Nov 13, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Tirunelveli

12 ooranis to be renovated in Tirunelveli

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUNELVELI, NOV. 12 . Twelve `oorani' (tanks) will be renovated on an outlay of Rs. 36 lakhs, to ensure uninterrupted supply of drinking water in rural areas, even during the summer.

Mela Narikkudi oorani in Narikkudi panchayat, Dharmaththu oorani in Pattaadaikatti panchayat, Chokkanaachchiyaarpuram oorani in Thadiyanpatti panchayat, Renganathapuram oorani in Kulasekaramangalam panchayat, Thirumalaapuram in Vadakku Panavadali panchayat, all under Melaneelithanallur panchayat union, Kulakattakurichi oorani in Kulakattakurichi panchayat, Maippaarai oorani in Maippaarai panchayat, Kalingapatti oorani in Kalingapatti panchayat, Varahanur oorani in Varahanur panchayat, all under Kuruvikulam union, Pillaiyarkulam oorani in Pillaiyarkulam panchayat under Maanur union, Ramanathapuram oorani in Ramanathapuram panchayat under Vasudevanallur union and Madaththupatti oorani in Madaththupatti panchayat under Sankarankovil union will be renovated, at a cost of Rs. 3 lakhs each.

The Collector, Atul Anand, told presspersons here on Monday that the traditional water bodies, which once provided drinking water to most of rural population, had dried up, because the inlet channels were clogged with silt . The presidents of these panchayats attended a seminar held in Chennai on October 10 to discuss the strategies for renovating the traditional drinking water sources.

These tanks would be fenced off, and the inlet channels fitted with a silt trap. Since the water coming into the oorani would contain a lot of residue, a filter would be constructed at the centre of the tank. "As the people would get water only from the `draw well' near the oorani, it would be potable," Mr. Atul Anand said.

The renovation of the ooranis would begin immediately after the monsoon and would be completed within two months. The renovated tanks would provide drinking water to nearly 28,000 villagers.

Mr. Atul Anand said the bio-gasifier units had been installed in Seevalaperi panchayat under Palayamkottai panchayat union, Aayiraperi under Tenkasi pancahyat union, Karkudi under Shencottai panchayat union and Kulasekaramangalam under Melaneelithanallur panchayat union.

"A 9-KV gasifier unit costs Rs. 3,14,515. While the Union Government would pay 50 per cent of this cost through the Tamil Nadu Energy Development Agency, the panchayats would bear the rest. The electricity generated by this unit saves 65 per cent of the power bill of the panchayat. With this savings, the investment cost could be recovered within two years," he said.

The units, which will use firewood for fuel, will be operated by self-help groups.

The units at Aayiraperi, Seevalaperi and Karkudi would start generation from the second week of November, and the power would be used to operate the pumps supplying drinking water.

"Steps are on to procure 10 more units to be installed in as many panchayats during 2004 - 2005," he said.

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