Cauvery and Mettur Dam Project – an Analysis
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Vol 6 Issue 1 July 2016 ISSN No :2231-5063 InternationaORIGINALl M ARTICLEultidisciplinary Research Journal Golden Research Thoughts Chief Editor Dr.Tukaram Narayan Shinde Associate Editor Publisher Dr.Rajani Dalvi Mrs.Laxmi Ashok Yakkaldevi Honorary Mr.Ashok Yakkaldevi Welcome to GRT RNI MAHMUL/2011/38595 ISSN No.2231-5063 Golden Research Thoughts Journal is a multidisciplinary research journal, published monthly in English, Hindi & Marathi Language. All research papers submitted to the journal will be double - blind peer reviewed referred by members of the editorial board.Readers will include investigator in universities, research institutes government and industry with research interest in the general subjects. Regional Editor Dr. T. 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Bhandarkar YCMOU,Nashik Praful Patel College of Education, Gondia Salve R. N. S. R. Pandya Department of Sociology, Shivaji Sonal Singh Head Education Dept. Mumbai University, University,Kolhapur Vikram University, Ujjain Mumbai Govind P. Shinde G. P. Patankar Alka Darshan Shrivastava Bharati Vidyapeeth School of Distance S. D. M. Degree College, Honavar, Karnataka Shaskiya Snatkottar Mahavidyalaya, Dhar Education Center, Navi Mumbai Maj. S. Bakhtiar Choudhary Rahul Shriram Sudke Chakane Sanjay Dnyaneshwar Director,Hyderabad AP India. Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore Arts, Science & Commerce College, Indapur, Pune S.Parvathi Devi S.KANNAN Ph.D.-University of Allahabad Annamalai University,TN Awadhesh Kumar Shirotriya Secretary,Play India Play,Meerut(U.P.) Sonal Singh, Satish Kumar Kalhotra Vikram University, Ujjain Maulana Azad National Urdu University Address:-Ashok Yakkaldevi 258/34, Raviwar Peth, Solapur - 413 005 Maharashtra, India Cell : 9595 359 435, Ph No: 02172372010 Email: [email protected] Website: www.aygrt.isrj.org ISSN: 2231-5063 Impact Factor : 4.6052(UIF) Volume - 6 | Issue - 1 | July - 2016 GRT Golden Research Thoughts CAUVERY AND METTUR DAM PROJECT – AN ANALYSIS Dr. C. Nadarajan Associate Professor, Department of History, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar. ABSTRACT 1934 by His Excellency the he Cauvery-Mettur Governor of Madras, Sir project was taken up in George Frederick Stanley and TJuly 1925 by the Right hence the reservoir formed Honourable Vincent Goshen, goes by the name, Stanley Governor of Madras.1 The Reservoir.2 great importance of the major scheme concentrated on the KEYWORDS :Mettur Dam storage and the use of flood Project , Analysis ,Cauvery . flows. The project was inaugurated on 21st August INTRODUCTION The river Cauvery has been the inspiration for various civilizations who have thrived on the banks of the river from its birth Talakaveri till it merges with the Bay of Bengal, a journey from Western Ghats to the deltas of Eastern coast of India, is beautifully captured by close Ami and Oriole Henry in this section. A Talakaveri, in the south west comer of Karnataka, the Cauvery, the Ganga of the South, is bom high up in the green Brahmagiri Mountain. Between October and November, depending on the calculation of local astrologers, the Cauvery bubbles up in rebirth. Thousands of pilgrims climb up past Kodagus coffee estates, to the forest covered Western Ghats to cleanse themselves of their sins in the tank built around her holy waters. The delta area consists of what are known as the old delta and the new delta. The old delta represents the area irrigated by the river Cauvery and its tributaries.3 This portion comprised of the whole of Kumba Konam, Mayavaram, Sirkazhi, Nannilam taluks and Parts of Thanjavur, Papanasam, Mannargudi, Tiruthuraipoondi and Nagapattinam taluks. After the island of Siva Samudram, the Cauvery narrows and falls rapidly in a series of waterfalls. This waterfall was the first in India to be Available online at www.lsrj.in 1 CAUVERY AND METTUR DAM PROJECT – AN ANALYSIS Volume - 6 | Issue - 1 | July - 2016 harnessed into electrical power in 1902 by engineers from the General Electric Company of the United States, The British needed to supply the Kolar Gold Mines one hundred miles away, In 1903 these were the largest lines of the high tension electric transmission in the World and Kolar is still the deepest mine in the world. Cauvery Basin-The Temple Town of Kumbakonam and Darasuram Everywhere, in the temple town of Kumbakonam, at the heart of the Cauvery delta, worship was noisy, and social not like the whispering of the dark, cold churches of Cauvery. Around the sacred Mahamakam tank, where every twelve years the nine sacred nestled under the shade of ancient temple carts. The twelfth Century Airavateshvara Temple was an archaeological site with no one there at all but Cauvery and old priest bent double with age. Around the pillars watch the goddess Parvathi prepare with joy and dancing for her wedding. ‘Cauvery Delta Zone (CDZ) lies in the eastern part of Tamilnadu between 10.00 - 11.30, North latitude and between 78.15 - 79.45 longitude. It is bounded by The Bay of Bengal on the east and the Palk straight on the South, Trichy District on the west, Perambalur, Ariyalur districts on the North West, Cuddalore district on the North and Pudukkottai district on the South West. Cauvery Delta Zone (CDZ) encircles the entire revenue taluks of Thanjavur, Thriuvarur, Nagappatinam districts numbering 20, five revenue taluks of Trichy districts, two of Cuddalore and one taluk of Pudukkottai district. Thus the zone comprises of 28 revenue taluks4 of the eastern belt of state. All these taluks are benefited by the river Cauvery. The major production constraints that are met with in the CDZ are Definite dates of opening and closing of Mettur Dam water for irrigation is not known. This reflects in planning of rice and rice based cropping system. Torrential rains during North East monsoon, hindering both Kuruvai harvest as well as Thaladi transplantings. Monocrop of rice in the delta region coupled with unfavourable weather conditions in an year lead to heavy incidence or pests/diseases. Labour shortage during peak season of harvesting or planting. Lodging of rice crop leads to fieldgermination. Lack of means to preserve Kuruvai grain, lack of adequate drainage facility in the delta region. Low light intensity prevailing in Samba season results in poor yield. Standard price policy for the delta grown commodities especially rice, pulses, cotton, gingelly, groundnut and coconut. Regulated market facilities are to be extended. Timely input supply in kind and cash is to be assured. Improvements in the Delta Sand deposits formed the principal obstruction to the free flow of water in the river by 1800. In 1804, Captain Caldwell one of the Engineers in the Public Works Department warned against the possible annihilation of the Cauvery, as an irrigation systems and the consequent rain of Tanjore. Efforts were made to remove the sand by using manual labour, provision of scouring sluices was approved. But it became expensive and ineffective5 in 1828, Sir Arthur Cotton was deputed by the East India Company to inquire into the State of Rivers and the Irrigation System for the purpose of ensuring proper irrigation. He proposed the construction of Upper Anaicut. The estimate for this was sanctioned on 31st July 1835 for Rs.98,383. After the construction, the inflow into the Cauvery became Smooth , and regular and at the same time there was no objectionable silt at the head of the Coleroon. Total expenditure of Coleroon Dam and Cauvery Dam was Rs.2,41,000. The construction of the upper and lower Anaicut resulted in Available online at www.lsrj.in 2 CAUVERY AND METTUR DAM PROJECT – AN ANALYSIS Volume - 6 | Issue - 1 | July - 2016 better regulation and doubled the extent of land under irrigation. The district contains seven tanks irrigating 500 acres and more, 49 supplying 200 acres and more and 1,658 with smaller ayakats. The new delta of the Cauvery Mettur Project area line in the taluk of Thanjavur, Papanasam, Mannargudi, Pattukottai and Aranthangi taluks. The area is served by two canals : Grand Anicut Canal and Vadavarru Extention the Canal6. The new area has been in operation since 1934. This area is governed by Madras - Mysore agreement and the extent of irrigation is restricted to 2,56,133 acres. The largest of them is the Kandratirtham tank in the Udaiyarpalayam tank which waters 1,315 acres. Tanks filled from the Cauvery channels ordinarily receive a supply three times or more every year and the others twice or more, ordinarily tanks with an ayakats of 200 acres or more are managed by the Public Works Department and rest by the Revenue authorities. The area protected by wells, held lies in the Musiri and Karur Taluks.