The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Madurai News : Southern districts face an uphill task

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 09, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

Southern districts face an uphill task

S. Annamalai

Damage in the aftermath of rain estimated at Rs. 990 crore

MADURAI: It poured for just three days. But the aftermath seems to be long-drawn with a huge irrigation system to be repaired, roads to be re-laid and industry to be revived.

The damage caused to infrastructure, crop and property in the southern districts of Madurai, Dindigul, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram and Virudhunagar is estimated at about Rs. 990 crore.

Over 3,500 tanks need repairs. The unprecedented rain did not bring any cheer to farmers or water managers in these water-starved districts.

But for an appreciable improvement in the ground water level, the dams, which supply water for drinking and irrigation, either did not get adequate inflow or were rendered incapable of retaining water, as in the case of Nanganjiar dam near Oddanchatram in Dindigul district.

Water in Sathaiyar dam in Madurai was wasted for about two days when a sluice gate refused to shut.

Many tanks, which received water to an unmanageable level, are empty.

Based on the experience of "wasteful discharge" of water, PWD officials did not throw open the Vaigai dam even after issuing two flood warnings in Theni and Madurai districts. This move helped in retaining the gains of widespread rain in catchment areas.

According to official estimates, bridges, culverts and roads, to a distance of about 1,500 km including ghat sections, have been damaged. The immediate concern is to repair roads.

Union Minister for Shipping and Transport T.R. Baalu, during his visit to Sanaveli in Ramanathapuram district, where a bus plunged into a jungle stream, announced that a new bridge would be constructed at a cost of Rs. 5 crore.

Crop damaged

Crop, including paddy and sugarcane, on around 49,000 hectares was damaged in the floods.

But the worst hit were the handloom weavers of Sellur in Madurai.

A near repeat of the1993 disaster, when all handloom units were flooded, hit them at a time when they were executing orders for Christmas and New Year.

Over 3,000 handlooms and 400 powerlooms will find it difficult to recover in the near future.

Unlike in 1993, when no unit was insured for flood damages, some have insurance cover now.

Sivaganga district suffered most with damage to crop and the irrigation system.

In terms of loss of lives, 38 persons died in Sanaveli bus accident, while 5 were killed in a wall collapse in Madurai district.

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