The Hindu : Front Page : Cost-effective plan to interlink rivers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 23, 2006

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Cost-effective plan to interlink rivers

M. Balaganessin

No need for acquiring land, says study

TIRUCHI: The Centre for Remote Sensing, School of Geosciences, Bharathidasan University, has come out with a cost-effective plan to interlink rivers in the State by reviving ancient courses.

Director and Head of the Centre, SM. Ramasamy, says there will be no need for acquiring land or digging long canals that may cause environmental problem. The study reveals that 3,000 years back the Cauvery flowed through Hogenekkal and Tiruvallur to join the sea north of Chennai. Because of the earth's movements, the river changed its course towards Mettur (Stanley Reservoir) and later along the Coleroon. Similar studies on the Pudukottai Vellar, the Manimuthar and the Vaigai rivers have brought to light change in their course over the centuries.

The study suggests the diversion of the Cauvery, while in spate, from Hogenekkal to Chennai along the abandoned Hogenekkal-Tiruvallur-Chennai course through a tunnel between Hogenekkal and Vaniyambadi. It will also benefit Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu. Alternatively, Cauvery water can be diverted from Stanley Reservoir to Sattanur dam by linking the Thoppur and the Vaniyar rivers through a canal for eight km.

Further, the Cauvery may be allowed to flow from Sattanur dam through Ponnaiyar to irrigate the Ponnaiyar basin.

For linking the Cauvery with the Pudukottai Vellar, abandoned distributary of the Cauvery between Mukkombu and Vembanur can be utilised, which will improve irrigational facility in the delta region.

Regulators at Vembanur along the Pudukottai Vellar and Sendalappatti are among the other suggestions.

The water thus brought up to Madurai can be made to flow through the Vaigai and its dried distributaries so that the water table of innumerable irrigational sources in Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram districts will stabilise.

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