TIRUNELVELI: The long hiatus is past now. And, the project of interlinking Thamirabarani, Karumeniyar and Nambiyar rivers by excavating a new flood carrier canal from the existing Kannadian channel (one of the channels of Thamirabarani river) in Tirunelveli district has gained momentum, thanks to the Revised Administrative Sanction (RAS) that was accorded to it following the visit of Chief Minister ‘Edappadi’ K Palaniswami to Tirunelveli last month.
Now, the district administration is busy acquiring land to expedite the work. With the hope of getting funding assistance from Central government under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) under drought prone area development, the State government accorded administrative sanction in 2008 to construct a flood carrier canal from Kannadian channel, located at Vellankuzhi in Ambasamudram taluk in Tirunelveli district, to the drought prone areas of Sathankulam, Thisaiyanvilai by interlinking Thamirabarani, Karumaniyar and Nambiyar rivers in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts.
The estimated cost of the project was Rs 369 crore in 2008, but in the revised estimate, it is pegged at Rs 872.45 crore. The project has been split into four stages – each consisting of 18 packages.
Stage 1 of the project is from Kannadian channel up to Pachaiyar river; stage 2 up to Moolakaraipatti Village; stage 3 up to Karumeniyar and Nambiyar River and stage 4 is up to ML Theri. The first stage of the project saw the construction of a weir across Pachayar and another weir would be constructed across Karumaniyar (river) in the third stage. A supply channel is also in the offing to connect Nambiyar river. The final (fourth) stage of the project will see the flood carrier canal splitting into two – one will go up to ML Theri in Thoothukudi district and other up to Idayankudi near Thisayanvilai in Tirunelveli district.
The project has been proposed to utilise 2765 Mcft of water out of the 13,758 Mcft water that flows to sea as surplus water from Thamirabarani during flood situation. PWD Water Resources department officials said the project had been accepted by the Centre under AIBP (Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme). To avail the total cost from the Centre, the State has to spend 50 per cent and achieve 50 per cent progress in work. The Central Water Commission has approved the cost appraisal for this project to 872.45 crore (price level 2014-15) in 2015.
The battle for credit
On expected lines, the river linking project also saw the major political parties battling for taking credit. Rubbishing the current government’s claim over the project gaining momentum, former Radhapuram DMK MLA M Appavu said, when DMK leader M K Stalin came to Radhapuram during 2006 assembly election campaign, it was he who asked Stalin to implement the river linking project. He said, after coming to power, DMK announced the scheme in 2008 and started work in 2009.
On the flip side, the incumbent Radhapuram MLA I S Inbadurai said it was J Jayalalithaa who initiated the river liking project. “When she came to Sathankulam by-election victory ceremony in 2003, she announced that she would consider the river linking project.” Meanwhile, Nanguneri Congress MLA H Vasantha Kumar said he had raised the project in the assembly and even met the Chief Minister.
Land acquisition
Tirunelveli Collector M Karunakaran said poramboke lands had been handed over to PWD for the scheme. “Steps are being taken to get special permission from the government for excavation to speed up the work,” he said.
CASH SPENT SO FAR:
Rs 21,274 lakh
Year Expenditure Details (in lakh)
2008-2009 Rs 575. 62
2009-2010 Rs 2119. 29
2010-2011 Rs 7175. 62
2011-2012 Rs 7310. 49
2012-2013 Rs 2488. 53
2013-2014 Rs 541. 37
2014-2015 Rs 557. 38
2015-2016 Rs 473. 84
2016-2017 Rs 32. 60