Chennai, Mar 15 (IANS): The Tamil Nadu government will take steps raise the water level of the Poondi reservoir from the present 3.3 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) to 5.2 tmcft.

The move comes after the recommendation of the Thiruppuzhagh committee constituted by the state government to conduct a study on flood mitigation strategies in the state in November 2021 following the massive floods of 2015 and then in 2021.

The 14-member committee headed by V. Thiruppuzagh (retd IAS) has also proposed underground water storage facilities for future water requirements in Chennai city and other areas.

The committee submitted a 650-page report to Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin on Tuesday which has however not been made public.

Sources in the Water Resources Department told IANS that the above recommendations of the committee on Poondi reservoir will be taken up by the government in the right earnest and commence preparations for the same.

Stalin constituted the committee and the latter gave interim reports in December 2021 and May 2022 which were useful in taking up mitigation efforts.

The committee has also identified 170 locations in Chennai for flood mitigation works which include Chrompet, Pallavaram, Alwarpet, West Mambalam, and other areas.

There are recommendations to remove encroachments in water bodies to prevent stagnation of water and this could turn out to be a game changer in flood mitigation and water management strategies in Tamil Nadu.