TN reiterates demand to shift terminal point of proposed Godavari-Krishna-Cauvery link to Kattalai barrage

This change will be more helpful in supplying water to needy areas of Tamil Nadu, Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan has said

Tamil Nadu has reiterated its demand to shift the terminal point of the proposed Godavari-Krishna-Pennar-Palar-Cauvery link from the Grand Anicut to Kattalai barrage. 

Making this demand at a meeting of a Special Committee on Interlinking of Rivers held in New Delhi earlier this week, Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan argued that the change would be more helpful to supply water to the needy areas of the State for optimum utilisation than what had been proposed by the National Water Development Agency (NWDA).  

In a reply given on Thursday, the Centre informed Lok Sabha that detailed project reports had been completed for the links – Krishna (Nagarjunasagar)-Pennar (Somasila) and the Pennar (Somasila)–Cauvery(Grand Anicut or “Kallanai”).  

Speaking to The Hindu, the Minister said that he had pointed out to participants of the meeting that anticipating the link for the Cauvery, the barrage had been constructed near Mayanur of the Karur district many years ago [the execution of which was taken up during 2008-14] so that water could be taken, in the next phase [Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar link]. to dry areas of southern Tamil Nadu. “I had also emphasised that Tamil Nadu, being in the tail of the system of the links of rivers, should be assured of its quota of water.”

It has been Tamil Nadu’s case that the quantum of water proposed to be transferred to Tamil Nadu should be increased  from 84 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft) to 200 tmc ft in phase-I itself, “since it is a water deficit State.” Besides, the link should be at a higher contour than what has been planned. 

According to the Central government,  the Special Committee, since its constitution in  September 2014, has held 20 meetings. An official said that along with the panel’s event, the annual general meeting of the NWDA took place.  After this year’s  Union budget talked of the project, four consultation meetings were held. In one of the meetings, Tamil Nadu made a presentation on the benefits of taking the link canal at a higher contour.