Movement to be launched for Ganga-Palar link

By P.V.V. Murthy

VELLORE, AUG. 2. `Jalasangama', a people's movement aimed at creating public opinion and mobilising the Central and State Governments' support for linking all major rivers, from the Ganga to the Palar, is to be launched at the Jalakanteswarar temple here tomorrow .

On the one hand, there are floods either once a year or once in two years in Orissa on the other, large parts of southern India face chronic drought almost every year, according to Mr. D. Gangappa, retired Collector of erstwhile North Arcot and Thanjavur districts and chairman of the steering committee of the Jalasangama - a non-governmental organisation.

Though the `Peninsular Inter-Basin Water Transfer Scheme' had been under investigation by the Indian Water Resources Society of the Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India, for the last 20 years, nothing concrete emerged, he said.

Now, the ``direct people's action'' programme would include the launching of an awareness campaign throughout the country of the need for linking the rivers. A `Bhageeratha Baghya Jyothi Ratha Yatra' would be organised from Vellore to Varanasi through Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

To begin with, the Jalasangama would initiate a feasibility report on the Cauvery-Palar link, which envisages diversion of water from the Cauvery to the Palar at Hogenakkal in Dharmapuri district in order to prevent floods in Thanjavur district and drought in Vellore district and Chennai. The idea is to augment the drinking water resources of Chennai and Vellore district via the Palar, laying channels for about 150 km from Hogenakkal or Rasimanal to Vaniyambadi.

The Jalasangama would provide liaison with the Centre and State Governments and seek their guidance and assistance in implementing the project of linking the rivers on a `build, operate and transfer' (BOT) basis.

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Section  : Southern States
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