Tamil Nadu - Cuddalore   

Vadavar canal closed to avoid flood situation

Special Correspondent

Water level in the Veeranam tank constantly maintained at 44.5 ft

CUDDALORE : The Vadavar, a major canal carrying the Cauvery water from the Kollidam to the Veeranam tank, has been closed in anticipation of heavy inflow.

With the discharge from the Mettur Dam exceeding two lakh cusecs, the Cuddalore district administration is apprehensive that it will cause flood situation in the Vadavar and result in surplussing of the Veeranam tank.

At this rate of discharge, it might take two days for the Mettur water to reach the Vadavar point. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, the inlet point has been sealed to prevent unusual quantum of water rushing into the Vadavar.

Prior to its closure, the inflow of 1,100 cusecs of water into the Vadavar (when the realisation at the Kollidam was 38,000 cusecs) was reduced to 300 cusecs.

Tank level

This was done to keep the storage in the Veeranam tank at a comfortable level, so as to meet the requirements of both the ayacutdars and the Chennai water supply, without endangering its safety.

The Collector, Gagandeep Singh Bedi, told presspersons at Parangipettai, where he had gone to assess the flood situation today, that the water level in the Veeranam tank had been constantly maintained at 44.5 ft, three feet below the maximum level of 47.5 ft.

This measure was adopted to provide a cushion for accommodating any possible overruns from the jungle streams. At present, the Sengaal Odai and the Karuvattu Odai in the catchment areas were feeding the tank to the extent of 1,800 cusecs of water.

Outflow from tank

Hence, to keep the storage at a safe level, 3,000 cusecs of water was being discharged from the tank through the Veeranam New Surplus Sluices at the Boothangudi point, so as to drain the excess water into the Vellar and then into the sea.

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