Better water resource management discussed

MADURAI

Tamil Nadu Public Works Department Senior Engineers’ Association held an awareness meeting in Madurai on strengthening water resources across the State on Saturday.

N. Gnanasekar, chief engineer, Water Resource Department (WRD), Madurai, T Krishnaswamy former chief engineer, WRD, A. Veerappan, State secretary, TNPWDSEA, retired Chief Engineers from PWD S.R. Rangan and V. Muthu Vijayan formed the panel.

It was the first time that farmers from the district were also part of the meeting, said Mr Veerappan.

Speaking to the reporters, he said that Tamil Nadu is often considered a water-scarcity state, but in reality it is not. “We have all the means to change it. The State needs 2,500 thousand million cubic feet (tmc) per year. But the current water resources are only equipped to hold between 900 to 1,260 tmc. On an average, 260 tmc per year is let into the sea without being harvested. If we implement better rainwater-harvesting methods and carry out various developmental projects, the State can become self-sufficient,” he said.

The panel also called for improving coastal hydrology to ensure a better groundwater table.

Farmers associations and resident associations raised issues prevailing like desilting, removal of water hyacinth, lifting soil sediment in kanmois in places like Viraganoor, Parasuramapatti, Virathanoor, Nilayur, Paravai etc.

The panel mediated the issues with the engineers from WRD who explained certain practical difficulties in some issues and gave their assurances to look into other few.