The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the Attappady Valley Irrigation Project for implementation subject to various clearances.
The project envisages the construction of a 450-metre gravity dam at Chittur across Siruvani River in Palakkad district. It is a multipurpose project intended for irrigation, water supply, and power generation.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told the presspersons after the Cabinet meeting that the Centre would be approached for environmental clearance for the project. Steps would be taken for clearance from the Planning and Finance Departments.
The Chief Minister said the project would use the waters available to Kerala in the Bhavani basin under the award of Cauvery tribunal.
Asked about the objections of the Tamil Nadu regarding Kerala’s plans for use of waters of Bhavani River, the Chief Minister said the State proposed to use only water over which it had the right.
Mr. Chandy said the Centre had approved an agriculture development project for Attappady. The workers of the Attappady Hill Area Development Project, which had come to a close, would be absorbed into this and three other projects as announced earlier.
