Media News - Puttaparthi trust ready to fund TN water project

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Source:

http://www.hinduonnet.com/bline/stories/2003082101041700.htm

 

Puttaparthi trust ready to fund TN water project

 

Our Bureau

 

Chennai , Aug. 20

 

THE Satya Sai Trust of Puttaparthi, which is spending over Rs 200

crore to upgrade the canal between Kandaleru and Poondi under the

Telugu Ganga project, is willing to further fund the project in

Tamil Nadu, according to Mr A. Ramakrishna, President and Deputy

Managing Director, Larsen & Toubro Ltd.

 

Addressing a seminar on emerging trends and technologies in water

organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry, here on

Wednesday, he said that the trust was willing to make available the

required funds to upgrade the canal between the Poondi and

Sholavaram. This was crucial to completion of the project that will

assure water supply to Chennai. L&T has been working on upgrading

the 150 km canal between Kandaleru and the zero point on the border

of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh over the last seven months with a

work force of 4,000. It has provided a concrete lining to the canal

and heightened the Kandaleru reservoir to enable water to flow

freely. The work is expected to be completed in a fortnight, and

Tamil Nadu should be prepared to receive the water that can flow if

rainfall enhances water availability in the reservoirs in Andhra

Pradesh.

 

However, the Poondi reservoir and the canal to Sholavaram are in a

bad shape and need to be upgraded, he said.

 

He offered to act as a `messenger' between Tamil Nadu and the Sai

Baba Trust if the Government was willing to make the appropriate

request for funds.

 

Mr Ramakrishna said that while the project was envisaged to carry

over 15-tmcft water with Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka

providing five tmcft each. However, not more than 2 - 3 tmcft have

flowed through the canals, he said. Governments, corporates and NGOs

need to work together for implementing fast track water supply

projects. This route is better than the competitive lending route.

Effective policies for water management are needed including levy of

user charges, he said.

 

The Tamil Nadu Minister for Local Administration, Mr M.C. Sampath,

said that the Government was working on an integrated water

management policy. The intervention will cover areas such as water

conservation, ground water recharge and augmentation of ground water

resources and reduction of wastage.

 

The Government was hoping to supply 40 litres water per capita per

day in the rural areas. If rain water harvesting was fully harvested

in the 174 square km area under Chennai Corporation, it would make

available 125 litre per capita per day making the city self-

sufficient, he said.

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