Feasibility study ordered for one more barrage across Cauvery.

The State government has instituted a committee to conduct feasibility study for constructing yet another barrage across the river Cauvery at Velayuthampalayam near K.Paramathi.

If everything goes as per plan, the proposed barrage would be similar to the recently constructed Mayanur barrage near Krishnarayapuram that could store 1.05 TMC feet of water and capable of a maximum flood discharge of 4.63 lakh cusecs.

R.Selvam, Chief Engineer, Plan Formulation, Public Works Department (PWD), Chennai, who carried out a field inspection at Velayuthampalayam with senior officials recently, told The Hindu that the department had been contemplating a plan to construct one more barrage.

A Superintending Engineer-level official had been asked to conduct the feasibility study. It would identify the exact location for constructing barrage.

Once the result of the study was positive, the department would start other formalities to prepare a Detailed Project Report.

Though there was a persistent demand to construct a check dam or regulator at the proposed site, he felt that it was not possible mainly due to uncontrolled flow of water. But there were chances to construct a barrage.

At the same time, construction of check dam was possible in the down stream of Mukkombu regulator as water flow could be effectively controlled from there, Mr.Selvam said

He aslo visited Kumbakuzhi village to study the possibility of preventing water inundation when storing 1.05 TMC of water at the Mayanur barrage. It is said a plan would be formulated to meet the dual purpose of using the water for irrigation of fields at Kumbakuzhi and discharging excess water into Cauvery.


THE HINDU