Chennai, Tamil Nadu Water Resources department is working against time to complete the flood mitigation work in Chennai and to augment the water storage before the commencement of monsoon.

The department has pegged 22 tmcft as the drinking water requirement for Chennai for two years which would mean around 1 tmcft of drinking water every month.

According to water resources department officials, during the heavy rains of 2021 Poondi reservoir had released around 32 tmcft of drinking water but Chennai city could save only 15 to 20 per cent of the water released. In 2020 also around 20 tmcft of water was released from the reservoir but lack of storage facilities is leading to the water being wasted without productive use hence the department is trying to increase the storage facility of Chennai to 22 tmcft so that the drinking water requirements are met.

Tamil Nadu Water Resources department has already commenced work on 16 projects and spent an amount of Rs 434.22 crore which includes widening of Adayar and Kosasthalayi rivers. Sources in the water resources department told IANS that land acquisition of the project for widening the Adayar river between Anagaputhur and Thiruneermalai at a cost of Rs 70 crore has been completed.

Water department officials told IANS that areas like Pallikaranai, Medavakkam, Madippakam, and other areas that were inundated with water during the floods require strengthening of stormwater drains. The officials said that work will commence soon in these areas to be completed by mid-July.

Studies on feasibility of intra-basin transfer of flood water and deepening of Thiruninravur, Sriperumbadur, and Pillaipakkam lakes will also commence soon, water resources department officials told IANS.

The department according to officials is contemplating the transfer of surplus water from catchment areas near Orangadam in the Adayar basin to Palar through Neenjal Madavu and to increase the water in the surrounding lakes.