A drive to clear the wild growth on the Big Temple moat was launched here on Saturday.
Seven new excavators purchased using the Water Resources Department Maintenance Fund will be deployed for carrying out the exercise, according to Collector B. Priyanka Pankajam. The seven machines were bought at a total cost of ₹3.50 crore for protection/maintenance of waterbodies and for disaster relief operations. These machines would be utilised to remove the wild growth on the moat branching off from the Grand Anicut Canal and passing through the west, north, and east of the Old Thanjavur town.
Wild growth on the moat and along the banks in about 5 km length on this waterway would be cleared with support of the Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives of various industries, she added.
The operation was flagged off by the Collector. Thanjavur MLA Vijayasaravanan was present.