Chennai, which is recovering from a water crisis, is set to receive 8 tmcft water from the Krishna river. The government’s announcement comes a day after Tamil Nadu Minister for Municipal Administration SP Velumani and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar met with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy.
As part of the Telugu Ganga project, Tamil Nadu will receive water drawn from the Srisailam reservoir. The east-flowing Krishna river, which originates in the Western Ghats, will reach the Poondi reservoir in Thiruvallur district. Poondi, Cholavaram, Redhills and Chembarambakkam reservoirs ran out of water this summer.
Speaking to reporters, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami said, “We had requested the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister to meet with our senior Ministers. He too agreed and asked us to send our senior Ministers. So, Minister for Municipal Administration SP Velumani and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar went to Vijayawada and requested Hon'ble Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister to release water required for Chennai. He accepted our request and is set to release about 8 tmc ft of water,” he said.
The Chief Minister added that the water from the Krishna river would address the city’s woes. “We expect the water to reach soon. When the water comes, the residents of Chennai city will receive uninterrupted supply of water,” he said.
Flood rescue efforts
As rains continue to batter the Western ghats affecting Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Nilgiris district has witnessed massive landslides. On Friday, the Avalanche area near Ooty received a historic 911 mm rain, making it the wettest ever event in seven decades.
Assuring that efforts to rescue and rehabilitation efforts are on, the Chief Minister said, “There are heavy rains in Nilgiris district. There are intense landslides in an area called Pandalur and repair works are on. 32 people have been rescued by Disaster Rescue personnel from the flood in Kattu Kuppai. People being rescued are being put up at relief camps. 5,500 are in camps.”
He added that on his instructions, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister RB Udayakumar is in the district to directly supervise flood rescue efforts.