Conservationists urge skin walls to be built to protect weakening weirs of Agraharasamakulam tank
The Agraharasamakulam tank receives water from the Outlet Management System (OMS) of Avinashi-Athikkadavu Groundwater Recharge scheme and other natural resources, which is one of the major water storage tanks along the Kousika river belt.
"The surplus weir of the tank, which holds 400 million litres of water, was found to be dangerously weak last year. Since it is a load-bearing structure, it may not be able to withstand hydrological pressure from water storage. Hence, we decided to construct a skin wall for the weir. With the support of Water Resources Department and experts from Public Works Department, we designed and constructed the skin wall with the help of private sponsors," said PK Selvaraj, Founder of Kousika Neer Karanngal.
"The wall was constructed alongside the existing weir by strengthening bunds on either side, ranging from three to 25 feet. The foundation of the skin wall was laid up to six feet beneath the existing structure, which effectively doubles the water holding capacity of the weir and allows it to manage excess load. The entire project was completed within a month," Selvaraj added.
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