58-canal scheme nearing completion: Collector.

About 96% of work in the 58-canal scheme, which was sanctioned in 1999 to facilitate irrigation in 58 villages of Usilampatti taluk, had been completed, said Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao recently, after inspecting the ongoing work.

Accompanied by PWD engineers, the Collector visited several villages to be covered by the scheme. The 58-canal scheme was sanctioned at an outlay of ₹75 crore to provide surplus water from the Vaigai dam near Andipatti to irrigate fields in Usilampatti taluk.

Initially, ₹33.81 crore was sanctioned and the estimate was revised in subsequent years.

According to the plan, surplus water is to be conveyed through a high-level canal to a distance of 27.26 km. Three new tanks will be formed to store water for irrigation.

It will irrigate 2284 acres of land and facilitate food production to the tune of 2864 tonnes.

THE HINDU