KSEB takes tourism route to revive Athirappilly project

Time of India

28-04-2025

T'puram: In yet another move to push the controversial
Athirappilly power project
, the Kerala state electricity board (
KSEB
) is all set to repackage the 163 MW hydel power project across the
Chalakudy River
as a tourism-friendly one. The board has engaged the Centre for Environment Architecture and Human Settlements (CEARTH), Kozhikode, to prepare a proposal to explore the
tourism potential
of the project, which is currently in cold storage due to protests.
Not only environmentalists but also the CPI, which is part of the LDF govt, and the opposition parties have come up against the project whenever the board tried to push it forward. KSEB now contemplates to outwit the greens by winning the trust of tourism lobby in favour of the project.
CEARTH made a presentation before KSEB chairman and MD Biju Prabhakar in Jan on the development of dam-based tourism at the board facilities in Malankarala, Idukki, and Banasurasagar. "During the meeting, a proposal for modifying the Athirappilly hydro electric project as a tourism-friendly project and the preparation of a master plan for the tourism amenities and associated buildings such as a tribal school, tribal hamlet, primary health centre, public amenities, etc. were discussed," an order from KSEB said. It further permitted the Kozhikode-based agency to visit the Athirappilly project site and submit a proposal for the preparation of a tourism master plan for Athirappilly.
Prabhakar said the KSEB would like to look into the tourism aspect of Athirappilly in a big way, which was never part of the project plan in the past. "A dam across the river would ensure a perennial flow of water through the waterfall, a major tourism attraction currently. Further, basic amenities, a walkway, boating service, a glass aquarium, or even a seaplane service can be introduced as part of the hydroelectric project," he said, adding that abandoned estates in the area can be repurposed to set up major tourism facilities, including resorts.
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KSEB acquired the environmental clearance for the Athirappilly project, and the Centre had rejected the concerns expressed by environmentalists over the project. For a long time, there has been a rumour in the bureaucratic circles of KSEB that environmentalists were raking up controversy over the project at the behest of the tourism lobby. Their argument is that the lobby fears that the construction of a dam across the river would affect the waterfall and seal the tourism potential.
"The new move appears to be a last-ditch attempt to salvage the project. The board might be under the impression that it would be able to contain the protests by winning the trust of tourism lobby," a retired KSEB official involved in the project said.
INSET
Huge ecological loss, says expert
Thrissur: Director of River Research Centre, Chalakudy, S P Ravi, said the proposed Athirapally power project was denied clearance due to the huge environmental and ecological loss associated with it. "For the project to materialize, 137 acres of forest area including 38.4 acres of riparian forests will have to be cut down. It will affect the fish biodiversity in the Chalakudy river and Vazhachal waterfalls. The region is an elephant pathway as it connects the Eravikulam, Parambikulam. Already there have been man-wildlife conflicts as the elephants came into the downstream areas of the forests," he said.
Ravi added that the region is known as a biodiversity hotspot for being home to not just plants but also migratory and native birds, butterflies and dragonflies. "This is also known for the sighting of all the four hornbills - Common Grey Hornbill, Great Pied Hornbill, Malabar Pied Hornbill and Malabar Grey Hornbills. The effect of the project will also be seen in the various drinking water projects of Chalakudy River," he said.