No move yet to desilt Peruvannamuzhi reservoir

The excess deposit of silt and sand has largely affected the storage capacity of the Peruvannamuzhi reservoir that is likely to hit various water supply schemes for irrigation in Kozhikode district. Though the issue has already been brought to the attention of the taluk development committee, an action plan is yet to be prepared to address the issue.

A committee member said the declining capacity of the reservoir spread across two panchayats would hit paddy cultivators in around 10,000 hectares in Vadakara, Koyilandy and Thamarassery taluks. He also pointed out that limited storage capacity would directly affect potable water supply schemes in over 13 grama panchayats.

Local body members from Vadakara and Koyilandy said the Japan-aided drinking water projects and various schemes under the Jal Jeevan Mission would be at stake if the water storage capacity of the reservoir area was not maintained at its full capacity. Since it has a canal network of 603 km, all nearby areas would face difficulties in the days to come, they claimed.

A study earlier conducted by the Kerala Engineering Research Institute also had highlighted the need to carry out desilting in the area. According to the study report released in 2019, around 33% of the reservoir area was filled with sediments. The expected cost of desilting work was then estimated as ₹1,500 crore. 

According to Irrigation department sources, no major desilting work was done in the area in the past five decades. They also revealed that shortage of funds was the main reason for the delay in works though some fortification works for strengthening the dam were implemented in time.

It was in 1973 that the Peruvannamuzhi dam project was commissioned to support irrigation schemes. The masonry dam was designed in such a way to utilise the tailrace discharge of the Kakkayam hydroelectric project and the run-off from the catchment area of the Kuttiyadi river up to Peruvannamuzhi. It also supported a 6MW hydroelectric power project in the area.

Members of the Koyilandy taluk development committee said it was high time the State government floated tenders for carrying out emergency works to protect the reservoir. They also pointed out that a portion of the expense could be generated through public auctioning of fine sand removed from the spot.