The Hindu : Front Page : Drawal from Siruvani Dam increased

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Wednesday, Jul 22, 2009
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Drawal from Siruvani Dam increased

K.V. Prasad

Photo: K. Ananthan.

A treat to eye: Excess water gushes out from Siruvani Dam on Tuesday owing to heavy rain in the catchment areas. —

COIMBATORE: Contentment writ large on their faces at the sight of water overflowing from Siruvani Dam on Tuesday, officials of the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board told The Hindu that the full quota of 101 million litres a day is being drawn from the dam.

Consequently, the supply to the Coimbatore Corporation has been increased from 48 mld to 78 mld, Executive Engineer of Siruvani Division of TWAD Board P. Gopalakrishnan said.

Though the drawal from the dam is 101 mld, the TWAD has restricted supply to the local bodies to 90 mld. “This is because of heavy silt and turbidity in the water coming to the treatment plant,” Assistant Executive Engineer S. Sampath Kumar said.

Mr. Gopalakrishnan said: “Once this problem is over, supply will be gradually increased to the full quota of 87 mld for the Corporation and 14 mld for 10 village panchayats, nine town panchayats and three municipalities.”

On directions from Superintending Engineer P. Velusamy, Mr. Gopalakrishnan, Mr. Sampath Kumar and Junior Engineer V. Krishnaraj supervised measures to clear landslips and trees uprooted by rain and gusty winds, in order to restore the road to the dam.

Heavy rain pounded the hills, causing destruction even as it filled up the dam. “The dam filled up in a record 17 days, what with heavy rain bringing copious inflow,” Mr. Gopalakrishnan said. “On July 16 alone, the dam recorded 229 mm,” he said.

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