THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The cash-strapped state government, having spent around Rs 500 crore on the ambitious Idamalayar irrigation project over the years, has sought ways to salvage it by diluting its scope. The Irrigation Department, in a report to be submitted, suggests if a sum of Rs 137 crore is sanctioned, instead of Rs 330 crore actually required, it can complete a portion of the project.
It envisages linking the water from the barrage at Periyar River to Chalakudy River through a main canal, which later bifurcates into a 27.8 km-long low-level canal and 7.5 km link canal. The low-level canal is to irrigate the low lying areas while the link canal aims to connect with the Chalakkudy main canal to irrigate around 14060 ha of arable land.
The move comes after a technical expert committee, comprising Kerala State Planning Board members, submitted a report to the Chief Minister last month showing the current status of the project, which began way back in 1981. The government, which vetted the report, had directed the Irrigation Department to hold a field-level study to seek ways to complete the project without spending further.
But the scaled-down project will see a substantial decline in the project's scope. If the Irrigation Department had intended to irrigate more than 14,000 hectares of farmland during the 80s, now it would be around half of it. The department has given up irrigating around 8,500 ha of land on the right side of the Chalakudy River as acquiring land to build 48 km canal as per the original plan is a Herculean task in the current scenario. So the department has given up that and instead plans to mere link the water from Periyar to Chalakudy River by completing the link canal and low-level canal, said the office of the Superintending Engineer, Irrigation, Perumbavoor circle.
They also maintained the pattern of land use and area of farmland have also seen a substantial change over the years due to urbanisation. Though the department has given up plans to irrigate the right side of the Chalakudy River, it has increased the scope to around 1000 ha more on the left side of the Chalakudy River by linking some canals with the project.
Asked if the government would stop funding the project citing it was not economically feasible, Water Resources Minister Mathew T Thomas said the government is determined to push the project ahead and it will do everything possible to make it a reality. The government cannot simply wind up the project on a fine day after spending crores of rupees, he said.
When contacted P G Sen, chief engineer in charge of the project, said it is true there had been huge cost and time overrun. He said although the project is truncated, the department is hopeful of completing it if given a little more time and fund. The project's estimated cost was around Rs 17 crore in 1981 which was later revised to Rs 750 crore in 2012.
The department has constructed around 15.8 km of the total 27.2 km-long low-level canal and 2 km of 7.58 km long link canal. The work on the 32 km-long main canal was almost completed. The office of the Superintending Engineer, Perumbavoor circle, which held the survey, is now pinning hopes in the field-level report, which is expected to be submitted to the government by the second week of May.
The Idamalayar Irrigation Project, which began about 37 years ago, was originally envisaged as one intended to irrigate an extend over 14,000 hectares of farmland
The Irrigation Department will submit a report to the state government next week saying if `137 crore is sanctioned, a portion of the project can be completed
The revised project gave up irrigating around 8,500 ha of farmland on the right side of the Chalakudy River
To complete the full scope of the project, which requires over Rs 350 crore, the department has to acquire land to build 48 km of canal on the right side of Chalakudy River
The source of water for irrigation is the tailrace discharge of Idamalayar Hydro-Electric
Project for which a dam at Ennakkal has already been completed.
The project commenced in 1981 with an estimated cost of Rs 17.85 crore. The department has spent a cumulative expenditure around Rs 433 crore so far
The main component of the scheme is a 32-km main canal from Periyar barrage towards right, which later bifurcates into two, a 27.20 km long low-level canal and 7.582 km long-link canal