Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday virtually laid the foundation stone to build a small dam across Koilmalaiyar river, a tributary of Palar river, at a cost of ₹176.20 crore, in Melarasanpattu village on the foothills of Jawadhu Hills in Vellore.
Officials of the Water Resources Department (WRD) said that the project was a long-standing demand of farmers and residents in the region. It is the first one that has been undertaken by WRD since the opening of Mordhana Dam across Koundinya River, a tributary of the Palar, in Gudiyatham town in 2001.
The new dam will help to prevent inundation in farming villages at the foothills of Jawadhu Hills. “ The restoration will help to save excess rainwater from the hills for farming and domestic consumption. Farmers will get water for irrigation on time due to the new dam,” said S. Vembu, a farmer.
WRD officials said that the new dam will be built between Melarasanpattu and Karuthamalai reserve forests (RF) near Amirthi Zoological Park. The total storage capacity of the reservoir will be 74.438 mcft of water. The dam can reach its full capacity at least twice a year. “The new dam will be a lifeline for farmers in the foothills of Jawadhu for cultivation and consumption. The entire work will be completed in three years,” V.S. Chitharani, Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE), WRD (Vellore), told The Hindu.
