Tamil Nadu: Parties clash over interlinking rivers

CHENNAI: A decade after laying foundation for the inter-linking of Tamiraparani, Karumeniyar and Nambiyar rivers in southern Tamil Nadu, the state government has managed to acquire only 23% of 3,084 acres required for the project, triggering a war of words among the DMK, the Congress and the ruling AIADMK over the inordinate delay in executing the project.

So far Rs 546 crore has been spent on the project. The project envisages formation of a new flood carrier canal to utilise 2.7tmcft of water from Tamiraparani to irrigate drought-prone areas in Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts.


The project was envisaged to benefit four taluks in Tirunelveli — Ambasamudram, Palayamkottai, Nanguneri and Radhapuram, and three taluks in Tuticorin — Sathankulam, Tiruchendur and Srivaikundam. Tamiraparani, which originates in Tirunelveli district, is the only perennial river in the state at present. It forms a delta in Punnakayal village in Tuticorin district before entering Bay of Bengal. The river reaps the benefit of both the monsoons. With all its tributaries arising from the Western Ghats, the river is prone to heavy floods, especially during northeast monsoon.

In a bid to utilise the surplus water, the previous DMK regime led by M Karunanidhi issued an order sanctioning Rs 369 crore to form a flood carrier canal from Kannadian Channel to down south to link the three rivers. “The project has been kept in cold storage by this government,” DMK chief M K Stalin alleged, triggering a sharp response from chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Sunday. Devoting much time to counter the allegations, the CM said the DMK did little to acquire land. “The AIADMK government carried over the river linking project that comes in four stages. We have completed 95% in phase I and II. At least 43% of land is acquired for phase III. We will complete the project by December 2020,” he said.

TNCC chief K S Alagiri, whose party is pitted against the AIADMK in Nanguneri, did not buy the argument. He said the DMK regime had spent Rs 214 crore in two years by the time Jayalalithaa government took over in 2011. The project did not receive much attention from the changed dispensation, and former MLA M Appavu had to move the court. “Despite assurance from the government, the work did not take off. A contempt petition was also moved in 2017,” the Congress leader said, alleging that Palaniswami was giving false assurances.

Official sources told TOI that acquisition would be completed in two months and the project would be completed by the end of 2020. Union ministry of environment and forests granted environment clearance to the project in 2015 and water resources ministry gave investment clearance in 2016.