LiDAR survey launched for Kadamanthodu reservoir project in Wayanad

LiDAR survey launched to construct dam across Kadamanthodu river in Wayanad despite local resistance. Survey to mark springs, creeks, terrain, buildings, roads, power lines. Delhi-based firm to conduct survey at ₹32.8 lakh. All-party meeting to decide dam height, size after survey. Dam Virudha Samiti to foil proceedings of survey. Water Resources dept. has concurrence of political parties, farmer orgs.

The Water Resources department launched a Light, Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) survey on Tuesday as part of a proposal to construct a dam across the Kadamanthodu river, a tributary of the Kabani, at Pulpally in Wayanad, even as local residents and environmental organisations are putting up stiff resistance against the project.

The proposed project is aimed at addressing the drought-like situation in Pulpally and Mullankolly areas on the Kerala-Karnataka border during the summer. The LiDAR survey is a continuation of a survey conducted by the Geological Survey of India three months ago.

Details such as springs and creeks of the river and the terrain of the proposed dam site with respect to the mean sea level (MSL) will be marked. The volume capacity of the reservoir and an exact picture of the inundation area could be estimated after the survey, Water Resources department sources said. The number of buildings, their size, roads, and power lines in the project site would also be marked. A Delhi-based firm is carrying out the survey at a cost of ₹.32.8 lakh.

A few weeks ago Water Resources Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Singh visited the proposed dam site near the milk chilling plant of the MILMA at Anappara prior to the survey.

An all-party meeting held here a few months ago decided to determine the height and size of the proposed dam after the survey, the sources said. According to a draft proposal of the project, a dam would be constructed across the river at a height of 28 metres and length of 299 metres with a storage capacity of 0.51 tmc in a water year (from June 1 to May 31).

After the LiDAR survey a feasibility study report of the project would be submitted to the Central Water Commission, and a detailed project report would be prepared after the consent of the Commission, the sources said.

Meanwhile, a Dam Virudha Samiti (a collective of local residents in the prosed site area) with the support of the Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samiti, staged a fast at Pulpally against the move of the government to set up the dam. They raised demands such as repealing the proposed project and finding other alternatives to ensure water availability in the area during summer.