COIMBATORE: Renovation work on the Salaiyur check dam across the Kousika river in Coimbatore district began on Saturday morning. The project is being undertaken by Kousika Neerkarangal, an NGO, with financial support of the Rotary Club of Coimbatore United.The Salaiyur check dam, located in Annur taluk and spread across nearly 10 acres of land under the control of the revenue department, has become heavily silted. Its restoration is expected to benefit the surrounding rain-fed areas.The renovation will enable the check dam to store up to 5.9 million cubic feet of water received through the Athikadavu–Avinashi scheme, besides rainwater during the monsoon.Water resources department assistant executive engineer M Sivakumar said the Tamil Nadu govt had allocated funds to restore waterbodies across the district.Kousika Neerkarangal managing trustee Selvaraj said the restoration of the check dam would help recharge groundwater within a radius of around 5km. It would benefit drinking water supply, livestock, agriculture and industrial requirements in areas where groundwater is reportedly available only at depths of up to 1,000 feet, he said.As part of the NGO’s efforts to reclaim the river, check dams at Vaiyampalayam and Devampalayam and stretches of the river near Kovilpalayam have already been restored.
