WRD awaits Central Water Commission nod for rehabilitation of PAP channels

The Hindu

5 days ago

The Water Resources Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, is awaiting approval from the Central Water Commission, New Delhi, for rehabilitation of Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP) channels in the Parambikulam-Aliyar sub-basin in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts, to mitigate excess water loss, an official document states.
A detailed project report envisaging ₹7.08 crore expenditure for rehabilitation of canal systems and to provide automated community irrigation in the two districts has been sent to the Central Water Commission, according to the WRD policy note for 2025-26.
Encompassing seven reservoirs, four hydro power generation stations, six tunnels, a contour canal, and Aliyar Feeder Canal, for diverting west-flowing rivers into east side to irrigate the rain shadow lands in the two districts through main canals, branch canals and distributaries, the PAP has made possible irrigation in 17,960 hectares in the two zones (with one zone irrigated in a year) of Aliyar Sub-Basin and 1,52,631 hectares in Palar Sub-Basin that is divided into four zones (with two zones irrigated once a year) through 250 km length of main canals, 244 km length of branch canals, 640 km length of distributaries and 1,240 km length of distribution canals.
The WRD has mentioned in the policy note that PAP is a water-deficit basin, and that due to the prolonged usage the canals that were built with cement plastering and pre-cast slabs had been damaged resulting in loss of huge quantity of water.
'It becomes a herculean task to supply water to the tail-end areas during ordinary as well as drought seasons,' it states.
The rehabilitation work, the WRD hopes, would mitigate excess water loss. 'Water management in the irrigation basins can be improved through modernisation such as automated sluices, piped irrigation and micro-irrigation, control of wastage and water theft in canals, accurate maintenance of water supply calculations, distribution of water during crop season and judicious use of every drop of water,' the policy note states.
There is also a provision for introduction of 'Solid Waste Dump Identification Module' system, shortly. Using high-resolution satellite imagery, dumps in water bodies are identified through continuous monitoring. The status of the solid waste is reported to the officials. It triggers workflow to removal of solid waste once they are identified.
Farmers' organisations are, however, understood to have expressed their disappointment to the WRD over the 'meagre' apportioning for Coimbatore region out of the ₹120 crore allocation made in the 2025-26 Budget for special desilting works of irrigation canals on a priority basis.
The purpose is to ensure reach of water till the tail-end areas without any hindrance, and for quick drainage during floods.
Out of ₹120 crore allotted for this purpose, only ₹1.5 crore will be utilised for 29 special desiltation works in a cumulative length of 264.12 km.
The programme envisages desilting of water bodies to the designed bed level, removal of shoals and thorny bushes in canals / channels, branch canals / drains / supply channels etc., till the tail end areas, on war-footing with the involvement of 'Uzhavar Kuzhu' (Farmers' Association).