19.4.13

TN revives River Link Plan



The TN state government has embarked on an ambitious project to interlink many rivers in the state. Four river linking projects have been announced by the government Of them, Pennaiyar (Sathanur Dam)–Palar river link project will be taken up at a cost of Rs 250 crore without any external funding, said PWD minister K V Ramalingam in the assembly on Thursday. Three other projects include linking Pennaiyar (Nedungalanicut) to Palar, linking Cauvery, Vaigai and Gundar and Cauvery (Mettur dam) with Sarabanga river.
The 23.55 km Sathanur dam-Palar river linking project envisages transfer of flood water from Pennaiyar to its tributary Cheyyar through a canal that joins upstream of Alathuranicut.
Another link canal will be constructed for a length of 38.72 km, linking the main canal, Thurinjalar and Nandan channel. This river linking project is estimated to transfer 5.69 thousand million cubic (tmcft) floodwater to irrigate 46,069 acres of land in Tiruvannamalai, Thandarampattu, Chengam, Polur, Vandavasi and Gingee regions. Owing to the delay in obtaining financial assistance for the project from the Centre, the state government has decided to fund the project fully.
The Nedungal Anicut-Palar link project has been suggested by the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) as an alternative to the Tamil Nadu government’s earlier proposal to link Krishnagiri reservoir and Palar river. The NWDA started a detailed study for the Nedungal-Palar scheme, expected to help irrigate 29,319 acres in the area and recharge groundwater potential in the Palar basin.
The Cauvery-Vaigai Gundar link project aims at diversion of seven tmcft of surplus floodwater from the Cauvery river from Kattalai bar rage by a 258 km canal to Agniyar, South Vellar, Manimuthar Vaigai and Gundar. A detailed project report has been prepared for the project estimated cost Rs 5,166 crore. The state has sought central funding for the project under the flood management programme.
The Mettur dam-Sarabanga link project seeks to divert 2tm cft of surplus water through a canal covering 182 km to Sarabanga and Thirumanimuthar river basins.
About 30,400 acres of land in Salem, Namakkal, Perambalur and districts will get irrigated once the project is completed. It is estimated to cost Rs 1,134 crore, going by the cost of construction that prevailed last year. Sanction has been accorded for carrying out survey and levelling operations at the site at a cost of Rs 50 lakh said Ramalingam.

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