Kollidam barrage collapse jeopardizes agriculture

TIRUCHY: The collapse of large portions of the barrage across river Kollidam at Upper Anicut (Mukkombu) near Tiruchy on August 12 this year was one of major events with far-reaching economic impact in the district during 2018. 

The historic barrage coming down had triggered fears among the farmers, raising doubts whether they would be able to proceed with cultivating crops, especially its impact on water management and irrigation in the Cauvery delta for the ‘Samba’ paddy season. 

Out of the 45 shutters that comprise the colonial-era barrage, nine along with supporting piers and eight motors were washed away due to excess flows in the Cauvery and prolonged sand mining weakening structures. 

It was the British Irrigation engineer Sir Arthur Cotton who constructed the Upper Anicut in 1836, meant to regulate water flow in the delta. The water flow from here in the Cauvery river to Grand Anicut, popularly known as ‘Kallanai’ is managed by the Public Works Department (PWD). 

During heavy inflows from Mettur reservoir or in times of flood, the major portion of the surplus water is diverted into Kollidam from Upper Anicut. 
It might be recalled that the Upper Anicut, a brick masonry structure had survived the onslaught of the previous floods including the deluges in 1924, 1977 and 2005.

According to leaders of various farmers associations, including Mr.P.Ayyakannu, president of the ‘Desiya Then India Nathigal Inaippu Vivasayeegal Sangam’, the main reason for the sudden collapse of the barrage at Mukkombu was the foundation of bridge and irrigation structures suffering due to heavy erosion of sand caused by unlimited sand mining in and around the structure.

The Tamil Nadu Government has decided to construct a new barrage with 55 regulators at the northern and southern arms on river Kollidam, 100 metres away from the existing damaged regulators  at an estimated cost of Rs 387 crore. 

Out of the proposed 55 regulators, 45 will be constructed  just away from the existing damaged portion on the southern end and the remaining ten regulators on the northern side, PWD sources told DC.

Though the Government’s decision is welcome one, the farmers association leaders including Puliyur Nagarajan, state president of the TMC’s farmers wing, urged Government should expedite the proposed construction, besides creating a temporary path way on the existing barrage damaged area between Vathalai, the northern end of Kollidam river and  Mukkoombu, the southern end of the river Cauvery, for benefit of the farm workers, school and college students who need to cross the river. 

Apart from the collapse of this irrigation structure at Upper Anicut, yet another 82-year-old British period structure of a road bridge on the Kollidam river, connecting its northern banks to Thiruvanaikovil area, collapsed subsequently due to the heavy floods following the collapse of the Upper Anicut barrage. 

However, this bridge collapse did not have any impact, as the Tamil Nadu Government had already constructed a modern bridge on the model of the historic Napier bridge at Chennai, adjacent to the old bridge in ruins.