The Hindu : Front Page : Corporation in a fix over silt in Siruvani dam

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Thursday, Aug 14, 2008
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Corporation in a fix over silt in Siruvani dam

K.V. Prasad

The dam is in Kerala and no work can be done without its consent

Photo: S. Siva Saravanan

less space: Silt has reduced storage capacity of Siruvani Dam. –

COIMBATORE: Though the Coimbatore Corporation says that the Siruvani dam has just about enough water for the present drinking water supply requirement, the civic body is upset that the dam is not able to store to its full capacity.

It appears that even if there is heavy rain, the Corporation may not be fully satisfied because five feet of silt has eaten into the storage capacity. So, even if water overflows from the dam because of heavy rain, it is no indication that the city and the suburbs dependent on this dam are in a comfortable position.

The Corporation feels jinxed over the Siruvani scheme. One, it is totally dependent on rain, two, not a brick can be moved or a scoop of silt removed without the consent of water authorities in Kerala.

The dam is located in that State and the Corporation’s earlier appeal for increasing its height by three feet (from the present 67 ft) has not received any response.

The Corporation has been planning a representation to the Tamil Nadu Government for efforts to have the silt removed. “Water board authorities of Tamil Nadu and Kerala will have to deal with it. They have to decide on removing the silt,” says Mayor R. Venkatachalam. A Corporation official says things will have to be first moved at the level of both the governments and only then can the other agencies on both sides do the work on the ground. Silt was removed from the Pilloor dam this summer and the task was easy because the dam was located in Tamil Nadu.

Already anguished over inadequate rain, the silt in the Siruvani dam piles more agony on the Corporation. Five feet of silt is no small issue, says the Mayor. That much of water is denied to the city and suburbs at a time when there is more demand for it, he points out.

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