New Delhi: The Centre has dropped the proposed river-linking project to divert water from the Pamba and Achankovil rivers in Kerala to Tamil Nadu’s Vaippar river. Kerala has raised sustained objections to the project since the 1990s.

The decision was taken at the 39th annual general body meeting of the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) and the 24th meeting of the Special Committee on Interlinking of Rivers, both held in New Delhi. Kerala strongly opposed the proposal at both meetings, after which the Centre included the Pamba-Achankovil-Vaippar project among four river-linking schemes to be dropped.

The other projects dropped are Jogighopa-Teesta-Farakka link in Assam, Netravati-Hemavati link in Karnataka and Kosi-Mechi link in Bihar.

Kerala opposed diversion of water

The Pamba-Achankovil-Vaippar project proposed diverting water from the Pamba and Achankovil rivers to Tamil Nadu for agriculture and irrigation. Though the project was included in an NWDA meeting last year following pressure from Tamil Nadu, Kerala strongly objected. State Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine had personally attended the meeting to register Kerala’s protest.

Kerala argued that the Pamba and Achankovil are not inter-state rivers and that diverting water without the state’s consent amounted to an encroachment on its rights. The state reiterated its opposition at the 23rd meeting of the Special Committee on Interlinking of Rivers held in July, where Kerala Water Resources Department Chief Engineer Priyesh once again raised objections. This time, Tamil Nadu officials did not strongly counter Kerala’s stand, helping pave the way for the project’s exclusion.

What is the Pamba–Achankovil–Vaippar Project (PAVP)?

A water balance study conducted by the NWDA in 1991 had estimated that even after meeting all projected requirements up to 2025, surplus water of 1.612 billion cubic metres in the Pamba and 1.515 billion cubic metres in the Achankovil would remain. The project proposed diverting 0.634 billion cubic metres of this water to Tamil Nadu through tunnels.

The diverted water was intended to irrigate about 91,400 hectares of land in Tamil Nadu. The project also envisaged the construction of three dams. Furthermore, there were environmental concerns as the project would have required the diversion of about 2,004 hectares of forest land.