The Hindu : Kerala News : Bharathapuzha, a victim of PAP agreement

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 11, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Bharathapuzha, a victim of PAP agreement

By Our Staff Reporter

PALAKKAD, APRIL 10. The most controversial Prambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP) agreement between Kerala and Tamil Nadu is found to be the single most cause of the drying-up of Bharathapuzha (Nila), the second biggest river in the State.

Experts on the river management and officials dealing with inter-State waters are unanimous in their view that "Bharathapuzha is a victim of the PAP agreement and its blatant violation by Tamil Nadu.''

In a paper presented at a recent all-India seminar on `Interlinking of rivers and its effects on Kerala', James Wilson, an engineer of the KSEB attached to the Inter-State Water Cell, said that "time and experience proved the shortcomings of the PAP agreement. While agreeing to 7.25 TMCft as the share at Manacadavu from the Bharathapuzha basin, the irrigation demand for 20,000 acre ayacut, already developed at that time in the Chitturpuzha ayacut ,was only considered, and other demands were totally ignored. This has led to the drying-up of Bharathapuzha river''.

The paper said that the "entire flow of the river was diverted to another basin without assuring

minimum flow to downstream for ensuring the biodiversity, ecological balance, saline intrusion elimination, drinking water requirements etc.''

Even though Nirar and Sholayar waters were later added to the PAP system, the share of the above

rivers was not considered while fixing the threshold limit of the Parambikulam group. Though Parambikulam, Perivarippallom and Thunacadavu dams are situated entirely in Kerala territory, the State has no control over these dams, Mr. James said.

The PAP agreement was conceived for harnessing and sharing of water in the inter-Sate rivers in Bharathapuzha, Chalakkudypuzha and Periyar basins.

The agreement covered Aliyar and Palar, both tributaries of Bharathapuzha, Parambikulam, Peruvarippallom, Thunacadavu and Thekkady rivers and Sholayar, all tributaries of Chalakkudypuzha and Nirar and Anamalayar, the tributaries of Periyar.

The diversion of waters of Aliyar and Palar by constructing half-a-dozen dams across these tributaries of Bharathapuzha under the PAP agreement has resulted in the death of this holy river that meets the drinking and irrigation water needs of Palakkad, Thrissur and Malappuram districts.

While preparing the agreement, irrigating Chittur taluk only was considered,the experts felt.

Over the years, the Kerala Government was asking for more water for Chitturpuzha to provide irrigation to Chittur taluk. But the need to protect Bharathapuzha, the lifeline of Palakkad district, was not given due importance, an expert in the field T.N.N. Bhattathiripad, a retired chief engineer of the Kerala Water Authority, said.

He said that "the question is not one of getting water for irrigating a few thousand acres of land. But the most crucial question is how to save the river basin as Bharathapuzha is the lifeline of Palakkad district, the rice bowl of Kerala, along with Malappuram and Thrissur districts.

The Kerala Government, in its spplementary memorandum on "Review of agreements embodied in the PAP agreement'' in November 1992, said, "the entire yield of Aliyar and Thirumurthy dams along with the yield above Manacadavu, was flowing in Bharathapuzha, making the entire Bharathapuzha basin cultivable before the construction of Aliyar and Thirumurthy dams. But while preparing the agreement, irrigating Chittur taluk only was considered which has made Bharathapuzha practically dry except during the monsoon period.''

The memorandum said that "On the basis of observations made and experience gained in the water management of the basin, it is felt that much was available above the Manacadavu Weir than expected while framing the PAP agreement. Hence at least 2.5 TMCft more may be released through the Manacadavu Weir and be made available to Kerala to meet the bare minimum needs of the Bharathapuzha basin, fixing the total supply through Manacadavu Weir as 9.75 TMCft from the Aliyar-Palar sub-basins to Kerala.

This is in addition to the quantum of water to be supplied from the Parambikulam group of rivers.''

The memorandum said that "the Parambikulam group of reservoir viz. Parambikulam, Thunacadavu and Peruvarippallam are all situated in Kerala territory. There is a wildlife sanctuary

around this area. For the protection of the sanctuary and for developing the tourism potential of the area, Kerala will have control over all structures in the area. Therefore, the control of all structures, including the reservoir, will vest with the Government of Kerala hereafter,'' the memorandum said.

It called for sharing the water out of the actual yield. "The PAP agreement was signed in 1970 on the basis of the data provided by Tamil Nadu. The apportioning of the waters as per the anticipated yield in each basin and sub-basin was agreed on the assumption that the data provided was reasonably correct. However, the actual yield substantially varies from the assessments.'' The former member of the Ad hoc Committee of the Kerala Legislative Assembly constituted for the review of the PAP agreement, K. Krishnankutty, said that while the Assembly Committee directed the Government to review the agreement on the basis of its recommendations and the 1992 supplementary memorandum of the State Government, what had happened during the recent ministerial talks was that the two Kerala Ministers agreed to gift away the waters of Anamalayar and Nirar to Tamil Nadu that will make Periyar another Bharathapuzha.

The Kerala side also did not press for getting another 2.5 TMC of water at Manacadavu in addition to the existing share of 7.25 TMCft of water to save the Chitturpuzha irrigation scheme.

He said that the Assembly Committee and the Supplementary Memorandum wanted the control of the water regulating structures for Kerala. Because they are vested with Tamil Nadu, little water

flows through these structures to the Kerala side. This adversely affected paddy cultivation in Chittur taluk. Last year, Kerala should have got 7.25 TMCft water. But it got only 6 TMCft waters. In the current water year, it did not get even half of the due share.

This brought the calamity in the district and the death of Bharathapuzha. So what is required is a political will on the part of the State Government to get PAP water to revive Bharathapuzha and provide dirnking and irrigation water in this drought-affected district, Mr. Krishnankutty said.

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