Meenachil river basin project back on track after delay of four decades
According to Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine, the State Cabinet has approved a mobilisation advance of ₹54 lakh, which is 25% of the total consultancy fee of ₹2.13 crore, to WAPCOS Limited under the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti. A memorandum of understanding has already been signed between the company and the Irrigation Department.
At the heart of the project is a plan to ensure a year-round flow in the Meenachil River by channeling surplus water from the Moolamattom hydroelectric station into the river after power generation. The scheme is also expected to bolster irrigation facilities in the agrarian regions of Kottayam and Changanassery taluks.
'A perennial flow in the Meenachil River will help mitigate drinking water shortages and also prevent the intrusion of saline water during the summer months in the low-lying areas,' the Minister said.
The infrastructure blueprint includes the construction of a check dam at Arakkulam Moonunkavayal. From there, water will be diverted via a 500-meter canal into a 6.5-km tunnel, leading to Moonilavu panchayat in Kottayam district. A further 200-m open channel will carry the water into Kadapuzha.
Originally envisioned during the tenure of former Minister K.M. Mani, the initial version of the project proposed the construction of a 75-meter-high dam in the Meenachil basin, encompassing a reservoir spread across 228 hectares. A preliminary study had been conducted at the time and a Bengaluru-based agency carried out a refraction survey to assess subsurface rock formations required for tunnel boring.
However, progress was derailed when the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) constructed a separate tunnel from Vazhikadavu to the Idukki reservoir, diverting water through an independent weir. Later, a State-appointed expert committee ruled the proposed Adukkam dam technically unfeasible.
The revised proposal now focuses on diverting water upstream of the Malankara Dam and constructing a series of small check dams along the Meenachil River and its tributaries.
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