The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Veeranam extension detrimental to hundreds of villages: PIL

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 26, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Veeranam extension detrimental to hundreds of villages: PIL

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, JAN. 25. The Madras High Court has sought to know at which stage is the Rs. 300-crore New Veeranam Extension Project.

A Division Bench comprising Justice M. Karpgavinayagam and Justice A.R. Ramalingam gave the direction on a public interest litigation petition filed by S. Ramamirtham of Jayamkondam. It posted the matter to January 31. The project envisages sinking of six collector wells in the Coleroon and transporting water to Chennai for supplementing the New Veeranam Water Project.

According to the petitioner, the new project would be detrimental to the interests of lakhs of residents and farmers in hundreds of villages in Perambalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts. Already 14 drinking water schemes, involving 30 wells, 45-50 feet deep, were being implemented in the riverbed, benefiting 21 lakh people in 2,224 towns and villages.

"By the extension project, it is contemplated to tap 180 MLD (million litres a day) water from the six 20-metre collector wells. The implementation of the extension scheme will leave the existing wells dry, besides hampering agricultural operations in the region," Mr. Ramamirtham contended.

`Build barrages'

Describing the project as "sure impossibility," he said the investment of Rs. 300 crores could be used to construct barrages at seven places between the Upper and Lower Anaicuts at an interval of 15 km between each barrage for a total length of 105 km. The constructions would help to impound 14,000 million cubic metres of water and improve groundwater level on both sides of the Coleroon for the entire length.

`Invidious discrimination'

The petitioner charged the Government with "trying to give priority to residents of Chennai at the cost of the residents of other districts, treating non-Chennaiites as second class citizens.

The State Government is making an invidious discrimination between the people of Chennai and those living in other parts of the State."

He sought an interim injunction forbearing the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department and the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board from implementing the project.

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