And quiet flows the Pambar. With drought taking its toll, the water flow is down to a trickle and at the lowest in the history.
The river, originating from the Anamudi hills, flows through the rain shadow areas of Marayur and joins the Chinnar river, supplying water to a large stretch of farmlands in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Both the monsoons have an impact on the river. The southwest monsoon swells the river when it rains in the Anamudi hills. The river course downstream is through rain shadow areas, where the northeast monsoon showers its bounty on the river.
“Peak summer season coupled with a poor northeast monsoon is the reasons for the plight of the river,” said Krishnadas, a farmer at Marayur. He said the Pambar was a perennial river as it benefited from both the monsoons.
The river is the lifeline of Anchunadu as it supplies drinking and irrigation water to a vast stretch of rain shadow areas. It also gives life to the farmlands of Tamil Nadu, where it is the Amaravati river, before joining the Cauvery. “There is a direct link between the water flow in the Pambar and the agriculture activities in the Anchunadu valley,” says Mr. Krishnadas, adding that if the former dries up, the latter too will.
It irrigates sugarcane and paddy fields and vegetable farms in addition to areca nut and coconut plantations. The many channels from the river that irrigate farmlands had dried up.
The alluring beauty of the river had fascinated visitors. The Thoovanam waterfall on its course in the forest is a major attraction for tourists on the peak of the monsoon season.
The tribespeople too preferred settlement on its course in the forest and the Champakadu colony of the Hill Pulayas in the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is considered one of the earliest ones.
“The river has been reduced to a trickle, which too will disappear if the summer continues,” said Geetha, a resident of the colony.
Farmers in two districts of Tamil Nadu and the Anchunadu Valley are hoping for a copious southwest monsoon to rejuvenate farm activities.
