Country India Status Operational Type of dam Embankment Opened 1992 Construction began 1980 | Location Vellakoil Opening date 1992 Height 14 m Surface area 160 ha | |
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Official name Noyyal Aathupalayam Dam Similar Varattupallam Dam, Orathuppalayam Dam, Perunchani Dam, Vaideki Falls, Vattaparai Falls | ||
The Aathupalayam Dam is situated in Karvazhi village of K.Paramathi taluk in Karur district. The parched aycut area has not been receiving supplies as the Aathupalayam reservoir had become a storage tank for Orathuppalayam polluted water flowing down the River Noyyal over the past few years.
Contents
Map of Aathupalayam Dam, Tamil Nadu 638151
The storage facility was meant to harness excess flood water flowing down River Noyyal and draining from the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) canal to irrigate more than 19,000 acres in Karur district. Usually the excess LBP water flows down the Malayathu Palayam banks only between September and December.
History
The construction work started in 1980 it could be completed only a decade later due to various factors including technical and financial delays leading to cost and time over runs.
However, the joy of the farmers was short lived as by 1995 the reservoir had become a repository of polluted water and sludge carried by River Noyyal from the dyeing and bleaching factories in Tirupur and Coimbatore regions.
Present
After the aycutdars repeatedly represented to the State government to bring the reservoir to proper use, a plan was executed to block the polluted waters of River Noyyal from entering the reservoir and allowing the LBP canal water to drain into the reservoir by constructing a check dam and work has almost been completed.
But the inlet canals, reservoir bed and other sites have silted up heavily for want of proper maintenance over the past 20 years. The sluices and shutters have been damaged heavily and have fallen prey to nature's vagaries.