9.  THRITHALA R.C.B

     The Project envisages the construction of a Bridge-cum-Regulator across Bharathapuzha at Thrithala for providing additional irrigation facilities to 1303 ha. (net) and 3997 ha. (gross) of land in Ottappalam taluk of Palakkad district. Water will be stored upto a level of 13.3 MM3 and regulated. The bridge will connect the two banks of the river and thereby reduces the distance of Kozhikkode - Guruvayoor road by 11 Kms. The scheme also envisages provision of drinking water facilities to 22 Grama Panchayats and 3 Municipalities. This project is under consideration for inclusion in the class of Irrigation Projects for power generation.

     The investigation works started in 1985 and was completed in 1996. The Project Report of the RCB was prepared in December 1996. The land acquisition works for the construction of office building, staff quarters, dam and RCB were already completed. Land acquisition for flood banks is yet to be completed. Out of this 1 Km. of Right Bank of the RCB, survey of land acquisition completed. Construction of approach road already completed. Construction of office building, staff quarters and other buildings almost completed. More than 30% of the works on the construction of the Regulator-cum-Bridge has been completed.

     The original estimated cost of the project was Rs.19 crores as per 1996 schedule of rates. At the time of execution, it was realised that sufficient land is not available at the left bank. Subsequently a weir of 50 cm. has been provided additionally. Flood bank design has been changed to RCC in certain portions where density of population is high so as to minimise land acquisition . The revised estimated cost is Rs.35 crores, as per 1999 schedule of rates. The original Project Report envisages completion by the end of December 2001. As per the revised schedule, the project is expected to be completed by the end of March 2003.

     The following difficulties were reported in the execution of the Project.

  1. Non availability of required quantity of cement and steel in time.


  2. Insufficiency of funds and delay in releasing funds.


  3. Departmental delays in taking action for implementation.


  4. Land acquisition problems due to delay in eviction , and


  5. Soil moisture and drainage problems in the project area due to water logging

     An amount of Rs.8.47 crores has been spent upto 31.3.01. Item-wise cumulative expenditure incurred for the Project upto 31.3.2001 are given below:

Item
Expenditure
(Rs in lakhs)
Head works
615.31
Administrative
131.69
Land acquisition
100.00
Total
847.00


     Additional requirement of funds estimated are detailed below:
Year
Amount required
(Rs in lakhs)
2001-2002
633
2002-2003
2020
Total
2653

     NABARD has sanctioned loan assistance for Rs.22.07 crores in March 2001 for the period upto March 2003.

     The Centre for Earth Science Studies has conducted an EIA study on the RCB, Thrithala as suggested by NABARD. As per the study report if the project is implemented with a storage capacity as envisaged in the project report the ayacut will become water logged. Hence the study recommends to decrease the height of the dam and the storage capacity.

Suggestions

  1. The storage capacity of the project may be reduced from 13.30 MM3 to 6 MM3 as suggested by CESS and the project may be revised accordingly.