Minister for Water Resources Duraimurugan being apprised of the desilting work.

Minister for Water Resources Duraimurugan on Sunday inaugurated the restored water channel and newly built check dam across Palar near Katpadi.

Officials of the Water Resources Department (WRD) said the restoration was crucial for the farmers in the region, as it would improve the flow of discharged water into the channel.

Free flow of water into the channel had been blocked due to the deposition of sediments and growth of vegetation. This in turn led to water seepage, which further caused inundation of residential areas, especially during monsoon.

“Restoration of the channel will facilitate direct flow of floodwater into the inlets that discharge water from the channel to cultivated lands. It will also help store more rainwater during monsoon,” said V. Mayan, a farmer.

As part of the restoration, WRD officials said, the entire channel — from Kangeyanallur village near Katpadi to Ammoor village near Arcot — had been desilted to a distance of 12.7 km and a depth of four metres. A large volume of silt was removed.

The channel was also widened to an extent of three metres. This will help store excess rainwater and bring more agricultural lands under cultivation in the region, they said.

Long-standing demand

“Around 900 acres of farmland in the region will benefit by the restoration of the channel. The initiative was a long-standing demand of residents in villages along the waterbody,” R. Ramkumar, Assistant Engineer, Public Works Department (Katpadi), told The Hindu.

Funded under the Permanent Floods Restoration Scheme 2025-26, the channel was restored at a cost of ₹6.32 crore.

The restoration will help recharge groundwater in villages within a 3-km radius of the facility and improve irrigation. Farming villages such as Sevur, Karnampattu, Ammundi and Brahmapuram will benefit from the project.

WRD officials said the new check dam had been constructed across the river between Melur and Thirumani villages, which fall under K.V. Kuppam taluk. The check dam, built at a cost of ₹9.70 crore, is 28 metres in length and two metres in height. Each check dam will help recharge at least 80 farm wells in a 5-km radius.

The new facility will help farming villages such as Gollamangalam, Ayya Gounderpatti, Pallikuppam and Perumpadi along the river.

Officials said it would help more than 25,000 residents irrigate 1,284 acres of farmland.

Collector V.R. Subbulaxmi and senior WRD officials were present at the inauguration.