1000-year old Chola period Uyyakondan Canal to be renovated soon

TIRUCHIRAPALLI: The city stretch of the 1000-year old Chola period Uyyakondan Canal, facing the onslaught of urban pollution, is to be renovated soon.

The state government had sanctioned Rs. 14 crore last year for renovating the heavily polluted stretch of the canal, built by Raja Raja Cholan, and the Public Works Department has recently called for tenders for the work.

District Collector K S Palanisamy along with Uyyakondan Protection Committee members has inspected the canal twice in the past fortnight in connection with the cleanup operations.

The canal, which originates from the Cauvery near Pettavaithalai and traverses about 70 km upto Vazhavanthankottai tank, irrigates about 32,000 acres.

However, in a fallout of urbanisation, the 7-km city stretch has become an eye sore with several open drains and sewage from houses being let out directly into it.

As part of the rehabilitation, PWD would take up bed lining and construction of retaining wall for a stretch of 1,250 metres in the Palakkarai area, where the canal was subject to the heaviest pollution, PWD sources said.

Besides, fencing would be done to prevent dumping of solid wastes into the canal. The PWD would clear the silt on the polluted stretch.