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NT Bureau
Chennai, Jan 17:
 

V Srinivasan, All-India President of Sathya Sai Organisation,  addressing a press conference in Chennai today.

        A thanksgiving meeting will be held in Chennai on 21 January to express the gratitude of the citizens of the city to Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba for taking up restrengthening work of Kandaleru-Poondi canal, which brings water to the city under the Telugu-Ganga Scheme at a cost of Rs 200 crore.

        Addressing a press conference here today, V Srinivasan, All-India President of Sathyasai Organisation, said the work was initiated by Baba, who had realised that the city was suffering from acute shortage of drinking water, without any request from either Andhra Pradesh or Tamilnadu.

        Srinivasan said the trust undertook a technical study to improve the 65-km- long canal system from Kandaleru reservoir to Poondi as it could not carry the gushing water.

        Srinivasan said the Telugu-Ganga project was planned to meet the growing drinking water requirement of Chennai City. The water of Krishna river would be diverted to Kandaleru reservoir via Srisailam and Somasheela. The water would reach the State through 65- km- long canal connecting Kandaleru and Poondi reservoirs.

        The restrengthening work involved high grade cement linking, construction of escape structures and improvement of approach canal, he said.

        The meeting would be held at Nehru Indoor Stadium on 21 January, Srinivasan said. Tamilnadu Chief Minister

        M Karunanidhi would preside over the meeting. Other dignitaries including Chief Ministers of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, Governors of Tamilnadu and Maharashtra were expected to take part in the function.

        Srinivasan said Sathya Sai Baba is arriving in the city after 10 years on 19 January and would be here till 30 January. Baba would also participate in a 'Athi Rudra Maha Yagam' being held between 20 and 30 January.