The row over the Mekedatu drinking water-cum-balancing reservoir project, aimed at addressing the drinking water requirements of Bengaluru, refuses to die down. Decades ago, the Veeranam project, meant for bringing water to Chennai, had continued to evoke controversy for long.It was during the Congress’ rule in the 1960s that the seeds for the project were sown.An investigation by an eminent engineer in the State government, A.R. Venkatachari, had revealed that the project would not only be “very feasible” but it would also not affect irrigation sources. The project envisaged drawing water from the Veeranam tank situated at the tail of the Cauvery basin, about 225 km south of Chennai. The tank gets supply from its catchment of 500 sq. km and through the Vadavar channel, branching from the Coleroon river above the Lower Anicut. Also, it flows during the northeast monsoon. The tank, whose original capacity was 1.441 thousand million cubic feet (TMC), saw an erosion of storage to the extent of 0.930 TMC. Now, its capacity has been enhanced to 1.465 TMC. It has an ayacut of about 45,000 acres.
Treatment work under way at Vadakuthu for the Veeranam project in March 1976.
| Photo Credit:
The Hindu Archives
