The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Slab slippage blocks free flow of Krishna water in Kandaleru Canal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 14, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Slab slippage blocks free flow of Krishna water in Kandaleru Canal

T. Ramakrishnan

PWD is executing repairs at a cost of Rs. 60 lakh PWD is executing repairs at a cost of Rs. 60 lakh

CHENNAI: Even as Tamil Nadu awaits receipt of Krishna water in a week, water managers are concerned at the frequent slippage of concrete slabs that line the State's portion of the Kandaleru-Poondi Canal.

The slippage blocks the free flow, leading to loss of water. This problem is not new. Since the Krishna water supply scheme was commissioned in September 1996, the Public Works Department carried out remedial measures regularly to tackle the problem. At times, Chennai Metrowater provided funds to the PWD for the purpose. Now, the PWD is executing repairs to the canal at a cost of Rs. 60 lakh provided by Metrowater. Conceding that what is being done is to address the problem temporarily, sources in the department say a permanent solution has to be found. The canal runs for a distance of 152 km in Andhra Pradesh and 25 km in Tamil Nadu. The managers say the design of the canal, the nature of soil, dumping of earth on the bank and the lack of outlet for groundwater are responsible for the slippage of the slabs, which is more acute on the canal from Mylapore to Udappai over seven km. (Mylapore is a village, about five km from Poondi, where the canal terminates).

Calling for changes in the design, they say the present design is not appropriate, given the nature of soil on many stretches. The load caused by dumping of earth, while digging the canal, also leads to slippage, and the earth should be removed. Besides, as there is no proper outlet for groundwater to get released, the slope of the canal is getting damaged.

Andhra Pradesh too faced similar problems. In the last three-four years, it carried out improvement work in a big way, using funds from Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust as also its own resources. According to officials here, of the 152 km, Andhra Pradesh has completed the work on 120 km.

Water experts say Tamil Nadu should learn from the experience of its neighbour and find a lasting solution.

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