Kalam for long-term solution to control flood, drought

Tiruchirapalli, Aug 24 (UNI) Former President A P J Abdul Kalam today underlined the need to find a long-term solution to control flood and store surplus water for utilising it during drought conditions.

Speaking at the third Convocation at the National Institute of Technology Thiruchirapalli (NITT) here, Mr Kalam suggested that layered wells could be erected which would help to gradually reduce the dynamic flow velocity after filling each storage well.

Water thus stored could be used during shortage, he added.

He said, based on the Tamil Nadu Waterways Project prepared by an expert team, he had presented some proposals to the Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu during their respective regimes and they were taking certain steps towards the implementation of this project. ''We need to accelerate this programme in the interest of the state,'' he added.

Mr Kalam said in the first phase of the project, which could be implemented in five phases the rivers of Cauvery and Vaigai should be linked, followed by connecting Palar river with Mettur in the second phase. In the third phase, Vaigai and Tamirabarani rivers could be linked and then Tamirabarani could be linked with Perunjani river, he added.

Meanwhile, the government should take up expansion of connectivity to all tanks and intermediate rivers, he said.

He pointed out that this project would envisage irrigation facilities for an additional 7.5 million acres, generation of 2150 MW of hydro power, reduction in power consumption by 1350 MW due to increase in ground water level and navigation facilities along 900 km waterway.

UNI