Study calls for more check dams across Palar

A group of former Tamil Nadu Public Works Department (Water Resources Department) senior engineers, who did research and made a thorough study on the river recalled how the once perennial river has lost its sheen and wears a desert-like look. According to them, the river played a pivotal role once upon a time in providing drinking water to Chennai suburbs and northern districts. 

Cultivation of crops like paddy, banana, sugarcane and coconut farms took a sharp decline along the Palar river banks due to shrinking availability of water. The study said, “the AP government planned to construct a check dam across Palar river in 2007 and constructed 22 check dams each with 20 feet height for a distance of 50 km and these check dams prevented flow of water to a large extent. Since then, water flow to Tamil Nadu dwindled, making Palar a parched river.” This caused severe water scarcity in the suburbs of Chennai and northern districts like Vellore, Thiruvannamalai and Tiruvallur. 

The northern districts repeatedly faced severe drought due to the decline in water flow in Palar. “Vellore district is completely depending on Palar river for drinking water and irrigation. The district has a total of 1,018 lakes/tanks and these water bodies received water from Palar river in the past,” the engineers observed in the report. Agriculture was largely affected due to poor rainfalls and non-availability of river water. 

While two other states (AP and Karnataka) had planned well to store available water in a proper manner, Tamil Nadu failed to do it, the study said. “In the case of Tamil Nadu, there are a couple of check dams including sub-surface barriers near Vayalur and these are not enough. The authorities concernted should focus on building more check dams,” the study concluded. 

“The study is a clear message that the state officials should wake up from deep slumber and formulate mechanism to store Palar water like the neighboring states,” says A Veerappan, former Special Chief Engineer, TNPWD, who was part of the study. 

When DT Next contacted, V Shanmugam, Chief Engineer, PWD (WRD), Chennai Region, said they had sent proposals. But he cautioned, “Since the inflow in Palar has gradually decreased in recent years, we have to think twice before constructing check dams.” “Money can’t be wasted in the name of construction in unnecessary places,” he added.