Namakaga awakens “NHAI narrows down Cauvery River Bank near Perugamani”.

View of devastated cauvery bank near Perugamani

Trichy: 3rd: August, 2011: I read a news item in Namakaga Tamil fortnightly regarding the NHAI Road project in NH67; I was shocked to note that National Highways Authority of India has been realigning the Wider Cauvery bank (Akanda Cauvery) near Perugamani of Trichy-Karur National Highway as they widen the National Highway. Road infrastructure is important for development, but Cauvery water is precious and life line for the people, why NHAI to disturb the River Cauvery, the life-line Cauvery delta region. National Highways Authority of India should recollect that Trichy encountered major floods in 2005, then 2^nd term Honble Chief Minister and current 3^rd term Chief Minister Ms.J.Jayalalithaa acted swiftly and strengthened the Cauvery bank on war foot basis especially from Perugamani to Allur.Perugamani and Thiruparaithurai are situated in the southern bank of river wider part of River Cauvery just 2 kms west to Upper dam at Mukombu.During the flood seasons, the PWD authorities diverts  excess flood water to Kollidam river and controls floods in Cauvery river near Trichy region. On such occasions, upper dam storage water floods Thiruparaithurai and Perugamani villages of southern banks of River Cauvery. That is why Honble Chief Minister Ms.J.Jayalalithaa strengthened this region Cauvery banks with cement revetments. It is very surprising how the Engineers approved for dismantling the strengthened Cauvery southern banks for widening NH 67 Road. As of now, the southern Cauvery bank for more than one km situated between Perugamani and Thiruparaithurai looks like a bombed area, so damaged. There are lot many ways, the NHAI can be laying roads not damaging and narrowing down the Cauvery banks and rivers capacity. The current works undertaken by private people with the support of NHAI officials is against the guidelines of National River Conservation Directorate (NRCD) pertaining to National River Conservation Plan (NRCP).This NH 67 widening project is a toll road, the private contractors are to be alert while undertaking such works not disturbing the locals of this region. The Government agency and the private road making agency are to comply with the approval of the ministries of Environment and forest Department of State and Centre, NRCD, PWD and more over the public opinion, they need to verify carefully that they have the approval of the public for such a major activity. It was also reported in ‘Namakaga” that NHAI authorities have authorization to realign the Cauvery banks, if so, it is a crude shock, no single agency can clear such a vital area of disturbing the water bodies. The Environmental Activists should raise up on this special occasion and represent this grave concern to Hon’ble Prime Minister, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamilnadu and other leaders of the Nation and stop disturbing the Cauvery river banks. It is a pity that such a miserable repositioning and narrowing down of Cauvery banks and River Cauvery happens in the very constituency of Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamilnadu by Central agency NHAI.Govin