Protest is brewing among environmental organisations and the public against the proposed project to construct a dam across the Kadamanthodu river, a tributary of the Kabani, at Pulpally in Wayanad district.
N. Badusha, president, Wayanad Prakruthi Samrakshana Samiti, urged the government to repeal the proposed project as it would adversely affect thousands of families in the area and destroy hundreds of acres of fertile land.
The proposed project was a challenge to the farming community as construction work for the two huge irrigation projects — Karapuzha and Banasaura Sagar — was launched in 1970, and even the first phase of the projects were yet to be commissioned, Mr. Badusha said.
The government had earmarked ₹30 crore for the partial commissioning of the two projects this year, he added.
The preliminary estimate was ₹7.6 crore for the completion of the Karapuzha project, but as much as ₹500 crore had been spent on it so far. It was planned to complete the construction work for the Banasura Sagar project at a cost of ₹38 crore, but a sum of ₹70 crore was spent for the purpose so far. Both the projects are synonyms for corruption, he alleged.
The alleged nexus between political leaders, private contractors, and Irrigation department officials was responsible for the untimely delay in the completion of the projects, and the trio were the only beneficiaries of it, he alleged.
Hundreds of families, including farmers and tribal families, were evicted from the project area with a meagre compensation, Mr. Badusha said.
The proposed Kadamanthodu irrigation project is not a solution to the desertification process in Poothadi, Mullankolly and Pulpally grama panchayats and drinking water shortage in the region during summer, he said.
Meanwhile, a public action council decided to intensify agitation against the project. The organisation will launch a campaign titled Save Pulpally, the organisers said.
