The Proposal: NWDA has completed the feasibility report of this link study.  The link canal proposes to divert 634 Mcum of water from the surplus available in Pamba and Anchankovil basins of Kerala State to Vaippar basin for irrigating an area of 91,400 hectares in the drought prone districts of Tirunelveli, Chidambaranar and Kamarajar of Tamil Nadu.  Apart from this, the project will generate 508 MW of power and provide regulated releases of 150 Mcum of water during lean season in Pamba and Anchankovil rivers to improve the lean season flows and combat salinity intrusion.                

 Engineering Aspect: The link project consists of 150 m high concrete dam on Pamba-Kal Ar, 160 m high concrete dam on Anchankovil Kal Ar and Anchankovil dam, a 35 m high concrete gravity dam on Anchankovil river.  The Punnamedu and Anchankovil Kal Ar dams are inter-connected by a 5.0 m diameter and 8 km long tunnel for diverting the water of Punnamedu reservoir to Anchankovil Kal Ar reservoir.  Water from Anchankovil is pumped to Anchankovil Kal Ar reservoir.  The water from Anchankovil Kar Ar reservoir will be diverted through an 8 m diameter and 9 km long tunnel to cross the Western Ghats.  The main canal will run for a length of 50.68 km before reaching Alagar Odai, a tributary of Vaippar river.  Peaking power station of 500 MW installed capacity is located at the toe of the Anchankovil Kal Ar dam.  Six mini hydropower plants with a cumulative installed capacity of 8.37 MW are located near the inlet of the inter-connecting tunnel of Punnamedu and Anchankovil Kal Ar reservoirs, toe of Anchankovil dam and at four canal drops on the main canal.  The peaking power plant comprises of 5 units of 100 MW each.  Three of the units are reversible type.  10 Mcum of water released from Anchankovil Kal Ar reservoir for power generation during 6 hours peak load will be pumped back to Anchankovil Kal Ar reservoir during the remaining period.

 Environmental Issue: The Punnamedu reservoir will submerge an area of 440 ha, which is entirely forest.  No population will be affected due to this submergence.  The submergence area under Anchankovil Kal Ar is about 1,241 ha, comprising about 872 ha of virgin forest and the remaining land under teak plantation.  The Anchankovil dam will submerge an area 323 ha, of which 304 ha will be virgin forest& forest plantation and 19 ha of cultivable land.   Necessary provisions are to be made for compensatory afforestation.  The provision of regulated releases of 150 Mcum during lean season will improve the flow in the river systems and combat salinity intrusion from the sea.     

Index Map