T. Ramakrishnan

and S. Vydhianathan

CHENNAI: With the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal giving its final award, prospects have brightened for revival of the Cauvery modernisation project.

The need for implementation of the project arises not only considering the age of the Cauvery irrigation network, but also the quantity of water apportioned by the Tribunal for Tamil Nadu, says a senior water expert. Though the State was always keen to take up the project, the Centre, acting on objections raised by Karnataka, had rejected its proposals.

Farmers' associations have been pleading for early execution of the modernisation programme. Last July, the Tiruchi District Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association wanted the State Government to implement the project, particularly downstream of Mettur, without waiting for the final Tribunal award.

The river, which branches off into the Coleroon at Upper Anicut, and the Cauvery and the Vennar at Grand Anicut, has 36 distributaries, running into 1,600 km. Different categories of channels cover 35,000 km. In the GA canal system there are 700 small and medium tanks. Two-thirds of the river system functions as irrigation-cum-drainage courses.

According to the expert, the State Government first prepared a master plan for modernisation of the Cauvery system, including flood control and drainage rehabilitation, in the late 1960s. In the mid-1980s, when A. Mohanakrishnan, the present Chairman of the Cauvery Technical Cell, was Chief Engineer (Irrigation) of the Public Works Department, another project was formulated. The Central Water Commission gave its green signal for the implementation of its first phase. The World Bank too was favourably inclined. On both occasions, the project did not see the light of day with Karnataka opposing it. The authorities then decided not to take up the project during the pendency of the case. However, repair and emergency works were carried out now and then. During 1971-76, 100 regulators were established. In respect of all open off-take points, controlling arrangements were made over the years. In the late 1990s, removal of silt from numerous channels was taken up. A few years ago, the Government had planned for the execution of the modernisation project in a phased manner and sent a report to the Centre for the first phase at an estimated cost of Rs. 460 crore.

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