CHENNAI: The Centre has accepted TN’s proposal to put the terminal point of the proposed inter-state river interlinking project (Godavari, Krishna, Pennar, Palar and Cauvery) at Mayanur Kattalai barrage in Karur district, said Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan.
In an exclusive interview to TNIE, the minister said the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) had planned to build the terminal point at Grand Anicut (Kallanai) in Thanjavur district. The state, on the other hand, had built a barrage at Mayanur in 2009 that could serve as a terminal point for phase I link.
Besides, Mayanur Kattalai barrage has a proper channel linking Pudukkottai, Tiruchy, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, and a few southern parts of TN for phase II of Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar interlinking. Also, the pond level at Grand Anicut stood at only 59.22m whereas it was 101.22m at Mayanur. It will help control water flow better.
As of now, nearly 1 tmcft of water can be stored at Mayanur. Based on water-sharing agreements, it would be possible to build more storage facilities here, the minister said. “Explaining these aspects at the 36th annual general meeting of NWDA and to the 20th special committee for the interlinking of rivers in Delhi last week, I requested the union government to shift the terminal point from Grand Anicut to Kattalai barrage. The committee was satisfied with my proposal and accepted it,” he said.
To a question as to when the project would begin, he said the union government was still discussing it with states. So, it was not possible to announce a date of its launch. As for water sharing, he said TN had reached a tipping point and become a water-deficit state, with Thamirabarani being the only perennial river. In phase I of river interlinking, TN was allocated only 84 tmcft. Hence, the minister requested the Centre to increase the allocation to TN.