The State government plans to implement a major project for renovating the 45-year-old Contour Canal at a cost of Rs.127.5 crore, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi announced in the Assembly on Monday.
Considered the lifeline of the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project (PAP), the 49.2-km-long canal conveys water from the Sarkarpathy hydropower station to the Tirumurthy dam. As part of the PAP system, water stored in the Sholayar dam located within the limits of Tamil Nadu passes through Parambikulam, Peruvaripallam and Tunacadavu reservoirs, all in Kerala, before reaching Sarkarpathy.
Referring to repeated representation from farmers of Coimbatore and Tirupur districts for the renovation in view of frequent breaches in the canal that led to reduction in its carrying capacity and adverse impact on water distribution and power generation, Mr. Karunanidhi said the project would benefit about two lakh farmers in the two districts.
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The Chief Minister, who replied to the debate on the demand for grants to the Public Works Department, also informed the House that a detailed study of the Athikadavu-Avinashi canal project was being carried out. It envisaged diversion of excess water available in the flood carrier of the Bhavani to Karamadai, Annur, Avinashi, Puliyampatti, Palladam and Perundurai.
Referring to the observation of S. Damodaran (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) on the Kerala government's move to construct a hydropower dam across the Pambar, the Chief Minister explained that on production of power, water would again be let into the Pambar and would eventually reach the Amaravathy dam [in Tamil Nadu].
The Rs.253-crore flood protection works on the Cauvery and the Coleroon river banks in Karur, Tiruchi and Perambalur districts and on the Kuduamurutti river and Uyyakondan channel in Tiruchi district would be completed this year.
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Mr. Karunanidhi said the Rs.369-crore work on forming a 73-km-long flood carrier, branching off the Kannadian Channel, would be completed in two years. This would link the Tamiraparani with Karumeniyar and Nambiyar rivers. The project of upgrading a bed regulator into a barrage across the Cauvery in Mayanur village of Karur district would be over by February 2011.
Participating in the debate, T. Ramasamy (Communist Party of India) and G. Latha (CPI-Marxist) referred to the problems posed by indiscriminate sand quarrying in their respective districts of Virudhunagar and Vellore.
Mr. Ramasamy complained that the government had not taken action against big institutions that had encroached upon water bodies. V. Kaveri (Pattali Makkal Katchi) called for an irrigation project that would tap excess water from the Mettur dam and benefit the dry areas of Salem district.
P. Veldurai (Congress) wanted the government to frame the Tamiraparani improvement scheme.
R. Doraikannu (AIADMK) regretted that inter-State river water disputes had remained unresolved.