Expert committee defers ₹1,875-crore Koraiyar reservoir project, seeks alternatives options
The Expert Appraisal Committee has deferred the ₹1,875-crore Koraiyar reservoir project, citing concerns over its location within the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. The committee has requested the Water Resources Department to explore alternative sites to minimize ecological impact.
Why it matters
The decision highlights the ongoing tension between infrastructure development for irrigation and the preservation of protected ecological zones.
The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Union Environment Ministry has deferred the grant of Terms of Reference (ToR) for the proposed ₹1,875-crore Koraiyar reservoir project in Tirunelveli district and directed the Water Resources Department (WRD) to examine alternative sites outside the Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR).
The proposal, discussed at a recent meeting, involves the construction of a reservoir across the Koraiyar at Vickramasingapuram in Ambasamudram taluk to irrigate a cultural command area of 9,091.5 hectares (ha). The project is intended to harness monsoon flood flows from the Koraiyar, a tributary of the Tamirabharani, for irrigation, flood moderation, and groundwater recharge.
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