Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar river linking project will be expedited soon says TN Minister

Chennai, Apr 1 (PTI) The Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar river linking project, aiming to divert the surplus water from the Cauvery river to the water-scarce southern districts, will be expedited soon, Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan said on Tuesday.
    About Rs 288 crore has been spent so far on this project and the work would be taken up on a priority basis, the minister told the Assembly, responding to a call attention motion raised by AIADMK member Dr C Vijayabaskar on the status of the project.
    The scheme was proposed in 2008 by then Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. "It is our project. We will not give it up," Duraimurugan said.
    The project will be implemented in three phases. The first phase work was for a stretch of 118.45 km from Cauvery to South Vellar, the second phase covered 109.695 km from South Vellar to Vaigai, and the third phase was for 34.045 km from Vaigai to Gundaru, he said.
    So, totally, a 262.190 km canal work has been planned to carry water from the Cauvery river at Mayanur in Karur district to the South Vellar, Vaigai, and Gundar rivers.
    A barrage would be built at Mayanur to facilitate water diversion. In principle approval has been accorded for Rs 6,941 crore for the first stretch for a length of 118.45 km, the minister said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)