Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine on Tuesday sought to allay concerns regarding the Meenachil river valley project that will redirect excess water from the Muvattupuzha basin to ensure a stable water supply for drinking and irrigation in Kottayam district, especially during dry seasons.
He reassured the project would not impact water availability in neighbouring regions in Ernakulam and Alappuzha districts.
The Minister was replying to a calling attention motion raised by Kerala Congress (Jacob) legislator Anoop Jacob, who raised concerns that the proposed project could adversely affect the existing water supply and even result in droughts in Muvattupuzha, Piravom, and adjoining areas.
Primary water source
Mr. Augustine said the Meenachil river, which serves as the primary water source for both irrigation and drinking water in Kottayam, faces a significant challenge during the dry seasons, as the river only flows during the monsoon months. The project aims to connect the Muvattupuzha and Meenachil basins and ensure a stable water supply for Kottayam.
Besides, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) had conducted a feasibility study as part of the second phase of the Moolamattom hydroelectric project, which will add 800 MW of electricity generation capacity through four new 200 MW generators. This expansion was not originally planned, but with the addition of these generators, the amount of excess water that can be redirected to Meenachil has significantly increased, he claimed.
Currently, the Moolamattom hydroelectric plant discharges 163 cubic metres per second of water, while the new project will discharge an additional 150 cubic metres per second. When both projects operate simultaneously, the total water flow entering the Thodupuzha river will become 314 cubic metres per second. This excess water will flow through the Malankara Dam and the Muvattupuzha river, thereby ensuring sufficient water availability.
Published – March 18, 2025 08:58 pm IST
