Kunderipallam Dam
Kunderipallam Dam is a dam in Tamil Nadu, southeastern India, north of Kongarpalayam.
Located in the southern part of dense hill forest, The Hindu considers it one of the most scenic tourist spots in Erode district, attracting many at the weekends. Kunderipallam
is a small dam, a check dam, constructed to harness the rain water that drains
from the Kadambur Hills.
The dam lies 7 km off the Sathyamangalam - Athani road, north of
Vaniputhur. A scenic beauty, this dam is situated between two hills and offers
a fantastic landscape view. The dam irrigates a considerable amount of land in
this area and is also a source of fish for the local people.
The dam is flocked by people usually on S
Kunderi pallam or Gunderi pallam dam is built across wild streams
at the confluence of Kadambur hill and an adjacent hill, which themselves are
the last bit of cascading mountains that offer an exotic view for anyone. It is
a small dam, supporting agriculture in roughly about 3000 acres of agriculture
– mostly by increasing the ground water level, rather than direct canal
irrigation. Steep hills with dense jungle takes off in both the right and left
(East and West) sides of the dam – where wild varieties of flora and fauna are
seen.
The animals that can be spotted include Spotted Deer (Axis axis), Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus), Indian Gaur (Bos gaurus), Indian Wild Dog
(Cuon alpinus), Monkeys (bonnet
macaque – Macaca
radiata), and sometimes even Leopard (Panthera
pardus fusca). Apart from these animals (most of
which are spotted only in summers when water inside jungles become scarce) the
place is mostly known for its bird population – with egrets, storks, lapwings,
and ducks included in the often spotted list.
The dam can be reached from Sathyamangalam by travelling in the
Anthiyur road up to Vaniputthur (approx 14 kms), and taking a left turn from
there and travelling another 6 kms via Kongarpalayam. The road is fairly good,
but for the last kilometer. No permission is needed to visit the dam, but any
adventures beyond that shall be viewed seriously if spotted.
The dam was one of the lesser known tourist attractions in the
district till a few years ago. But it has now become popular among people in
Erode and neighbouring districts. As a result, a good number of people visit
the reservoir during evenings and weekends,” officials say.
The district administration has identified the dam as one of the
places having huge tourism potential. Proposals have already been made to
improve the amenities in the reservoir to attract more tourists. But the dam is
yet to witness any significant development works.