In News: Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami laid the foundation stone for the first phase of the Cauvery-South Vellar-Vaigai-Gundar intra-State river-link project.
Cauvery–Vaigai Link Canal:
- The Cauvery – Vaigai – Gundar link is an integral part of the Peninsular Rivers Development component under the National Perspective Plan proposals.
- Cauvery–Vaigai Link Canal Project is a project envisioned by the Government of Tamil Nadu, linking Kaveri and Vaigai rivers.
- Tamil Nadu depends heavily on the rivers flowing from the neighboring states of Kerala and Karnataka.
- State government started this project linking Kaveri and Vaigai rivers which would benefit during the drier seasons.
- Project involves construction of a 60-kilometre (158.82 mi) long canal from Mayanur in Karur district to link river Kaveri with Vaigai.
- National Water Development Agency, the gravity canal will provide water for irrigating an additional area of 3.38 lakh hectares and for domestic and industrial water supply.
- The Cauvery – Vaigai – Gundar link project lies entirely in Tamil Nadu State.
- This link is an integral part of the Mahanadi – Godavari – Krishna -Pennar – Cauvery – Vaigai – Gundar link, which envisages transfer of surplus Mahanadi and Godavari waters that would be brought into the Krishna river to Pennar and from there to Palar, Cauvery, Gundar etc.
- Hence, a broad consensus amongst the States of Orissa, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Pondicherry has to be reached before taking up the project.
- The command area of the link project lies in Karur, Tiruchchirappalli, Pudukottai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar and Thoothukudi districts of Tamil Nadu State.
Source: The Hindu and nwda.gov.in
