Remove karuvelam trees along waterbodies: Minister

Meeting explores possibility of new sand quarries

Minister for Water Resources Duraimurugan on Sunday chaired a meeting of officials at the Secretariat to review the Department’s ongoing works in 10 districts in Chennai Zone and 12 districts in Tiruchi Zone. He instructed officials to remove karuvelam trees along waterbodies.

Mr. Duraimurugan also reviewed the implementation of various works being carried out with financial assistance from NABARD Infrastructure Development Assistance and projects that could possibly benefit from Repair, Renovation and Restoration of Water Bodies and Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), an official release said.

The schemes that were to be implemented in coordination with other Departments, issues over acquisition of lands for various projects, removing encroachments in waterbodies and creating new sand quarries were discussed, it said. Secretary for Water Resources Department Sandeep Saxena and senior officials were present at the meeting.