7k tonne sediment removed from Aruvikkara reservoir

T'puram: : The long-awaited project to desilt the Aruvikkara reservoir to enhance its water storing capacity has finally begun. The city may no longer face water shortage upon the completion of the project. Gujarat-based Divine Shipping Services removed 7,000 metric tonnes of silt from the reservoir and is expected to take out 93,000 metric tonnes more. The agency divided the reservoir into ten pockets using the earth taken from it and 7,000 metric tonnes of silt was removed from just one pocket. The removal of silt from the other nine pockets is expected to be completed in 10 months.The reservoir has a capacity to store two million cubic metres of water, but due to silt deposition, only less than one million cubic metres of water is available for use.According to data shared by Kerala Water Authority (KWA), the city needs over 400 MLD of water every day, but the existing plants at Aruvikkara produce only 320 MLD. "Several parts of Kazhakkoottam, Vizhinjam, Venganoor, Manavila, Technopark and Powdikonam face severe water shortage now and the demand for water rises steadily. Once the silt removal is done, the shortage of water in the city can be solved as the reservoir can store plenty of water," an official of KWA said.KWA awarded the work to Kerala Irrigation Infrastructure Development Corporation (KIIDC) and the corporation entrusted the Gujarat-based agency with its execution. "The agency has to pay Rs 12.7 crore to KIIDC for the work and Rs 1 crore was paid in advance. Half of the silt comprises sand and clay contributes the remaining portion. The extracted sand is not good to be used for construction work, but mixing it with some materials makes it fit for construction purposes," Shobha KS, general manager of KIIDC, said."In some places, there is a deposition of silt above the water level. In such spots, silt has to be removed over three metres to keep the water level at three metres," added Shobha.The removed silt is kept on land owned by KWA at Aruvikkara and the segregation of sand and clay from the silt is progressing. It is learned that Adani Port agreed to buy the sand from the agency for the construction of a godown, and clay will also be sold by the agency to some other parties.The officials of KWA informed that the reservoir was built on forest land in 1933 and it has not been desilted since then. "Aruvikkara Reservoir is fed by Peppara Dam. In the 2017 summer, the dam and reservoir were parched and the city faced an acute water shortage. In such a scenario, we need an alternate source for water. By bringing Neyyar water to the city through a pipeline, we can have an alternate source and the project in this regard is under consideration," said a KWA officer.

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