Rs. 19.5-crore Under Ground Drainage scheme on full swing

DHARMAPURI: Works under the first phase of the Rs. 19.5 crore Under Ground Drainage (UGD) scheme are on full swing in Dharmapuri town.

Zone 1 works

The Dharmapuri Municipality Chairman T.C.P. Anantha Kumar told The Hindu that the Government of Tamil Nadu accorded the administration sanction on September 4, 2006 for Zone 1 (Beeman Nagar) under phase one.

In addition, the detailed estimate was prepared and technically sanctioned by TWARD Board Chief Engineer, Northern Region on September 18, 2006 for Rs. 16.53 crore. Later due to escalation of construction cost the estimate had been revised to Rs. 19.5 crore.

Completion

The drainage work started on January 1, 2008, and as per schedule the scheme work should be finished on or before June 30, 2009. However, due to some reasons it is expected that the project work would spill into 2010, Mr. Anantha Kumar said.

He said works like the construction of manholes and laying of pipelines were also progressing well.

The first phase of the scheme covering 19 wards was being implemented in three reaches.

First reach of 12 km work was over in the town. Work for the second reach had just started.

Excavation works were being undertaken in the narrow streets with the help of bulldozers.

Anantha Kumar also said for the remaining two zones, consisting of 14 wards, separate project proposal for Rs. 16.5 crores to cover 18.5 kms had been sent to the Government for approval. Government’s nod was expected at any time now. The entire Dharmapuri town would be covered under the UGD project, which would pave way for clean and mosquito free city.

Pumping stations

Pumping stations were coming up at Anna Sagaram, MGR Nagar and Beeman Nagar and another two more pumping stations would be constructed to cover the entire town.

Treatment plant

Sewage water collected from these pumping stations would be treated at the plant going to come up in Chettikarai village in 20 acres. This land belonged to Venkataraman Swamy Temple. It was allotted by the State H.R. & C.E. Department of the Government, Anantha Kumar added.

Anantha Kumar said daily collection of sewage would be 6.84 mld. As many as 1475 manholes, stoneware and RCC pipes for 35.987 km would be laid.

Treated water would let into the nearby Sanathkumar River for irrigation purposes.

As many as 14,791 households and 76,000 people would benefit from the scheme.

Construction of manholes, laying of pipelines works had been entrusted to a Bangalore based company, BBIPL Infrastructure (India) Pvt. Ltd.