Mettur Dam, Salem
The Mettur
Dam is one of the largest dams in India built in 1934. It was constructed in a gorge,
where the Kaveri River enters the plains. It provides irrigation
facilities to parts of Salem, the length of Erode, Namakkal, Karur, Tiruchirappalli
and Thanjavur district for 271,000 acres (110,000 ha) of farm land.
The
total length of the dam is 1,700 m (5,600 ft.). The dam creates Stanley
Reservoir. The Mettur Hydro
Electrical power project is also quite large. The dam, the park, the major
Hydro Electric power stations and hills on all sides make Mettur a tourist attraction. Upstream from the dam is Hogenakal
Falls. The maximum level of the
dam is 120 ft. (37 m) and the maximum capacity is 93.47 tmc ft.
Stanley
Reservoir (also known as Mettur
dam) is one of largest fishing reservoirs in South
India. Its main source of
water is the River Kaveri (Cauvery). Three
minor tributaries – Palar, Chennar and Thoppar – enter the Kaveri on her course
above Stanley Reservoir. The water is retained by the Mettur
Dam, Tamilnadu. The creation of the reservoir caused the
submersion of two villages, all of whose inhabitants were relocated to Mettur.
History
The dam
had a long history from the year 1834 to the year 1934.The construction work of
the Mettur dam was commenced in the year 1925 and the entire work was completed
and opened for irrigation by the Governor of Madras, Sir George Stanley on
August 21, 1934. The Mettur Dam is also one of the largest dams in India and
having a total length of 1700 meters long. It irrigates
1,310 km2 (510 sq. mi) of land each year. Its installed
capacity for hydro-power generation is 32 MW. The maximum level of the dam is
120 ft. (37 m) and the maximum capacity is 93.4 tmc ft.
The
structure of the dam was designed by a British, Mr. Ellis and the project was
overseen by another British engineer, Mr. Mullings. When the dam was planned
English people gave some money and evacuated the people who lived in Nayambadi
village which was in the place of present Mettur dam.
When the
water level of the dam recedes even now we can see age old Hindu temples and church emerge from it as a proof.
Those people who migrated from Nayambadi have settled down in Martalli village
and nearby villages which are part of Kollegal district Karnataka state, then
those villages were part of Erode district, Tamilnadu. Those were the days
Kaveri disputes were at its peak, whenever disputes broke out these villagers
were the victims. People ran here and there to save their lives. Men tried to
guard village with weapon, keeping their women and children locked in house.
Water
dispute
The
Mettur Dam has received attention of the public during the recent past because
of the Kaveri water dispute between the States of Tamilnadu and Karnataka. Consequent to building dams, including the Kabini Dam, across the Kaveri River in Karnataka, the Mettur Dam
does not receive much water during lean seasons. Thus, the Dam nearly goes dry
during certain parts of the year, when water is most needed by the farmers and
general public of the states of Karnataka and Tamilnadu. This has created
serious dispute and tension between the neighbouring States of Karnataka and
Tamilnadu.
Governments
of the respective states, the Supreme Court and the Kaveri Tribunal have so far
not been successful in solving the dispute. Meanwhile, Kaveri Water Tribunal has been constituted to solve the problem and the
tribunal has passed it verdict of 419 tmc to Tamil Nadu, 270 tmc to Karnataka,
50 tmc to Kerala and 7 tmc to Puducherry, which has been held highly unsatisfactory by the
states of Tamilnadu and Karnataka and has challenged the verdict in the supreme
court.
The
Central government after being condemned by the Judge of the Supreme Court has
finally notified the Kaveri Tribunal verdict in the Gazette. Farmers and People
across the Agricultural State of Tamil Nadu burst out of Jubilation as the
result of the long pending justice being established. It is however undeniable
that the people of Karnataka living in the Kaveri basin feel this is not
justice.
The
capacity of the dam is 93.4 billion ft³ (2.64 km³) nearly twice that of
its Karnataka counterpart of KRS, is revered as the life and life hood giving
asset of Tamilnadu. This dam was built in line with KRS Dam which was designed
by Sir M Vishveswariah in 1911 and completed in 1917 near Mysore.
Attractions
Mettur
Dam is a beautiful spot surrounded by a mosaic of sugarcane and paddy fields,
swaying coconut palms and verdant banana plantations. There is a lovely park
where kids can frolic. The view from the dam, down the Cauvery River, is
awesome.
If you
visit Mettur Dam at a time when the water levels are low, get a local fisherman
to take you across to the submerged Nandi (bull) statue, the church and the
palace of Tipu Sultan, which were inundated when the dam was constructed.
If you
go upstream from Mettur Dam, you can visit the breathtaking Hogenakkal Falls,
which is a hugely popular tourist attraction. During festival times like
Pongal, Diwali (Deepavali) and Aadi, which are popular festivals in Tamilnadu,
people throng to Mettur Dam.
There is
a park located beneath Mettur Dam, where you can see Snake Park, Deer park and
beautiful scenery of dam along with spicy fish curry. Charge for sightseeing of
Dam fixed Rs 5/Head.
Connectivity
Mettur
being close to the transportation hubs of Erode and Salem is well connected to both these cities as well as
to Dharmapuri. Bus services operate from Erode & Salem at the
most frequency, with bus services once in every 5 minutes.
There is
short cut for Coimbatore from Dharmapuri via Thoppur, Mettur, Bhavani (can save
up to 20 km travel) without reaching Salem by NH47 due to the high volume
of traffic between Coimbatore and Salem, especially between Coimbatore and
Avinashi on NH47. There is route to Mysuru-Karnataka through Madeswaran Malai (Madeswaran Betta)
and Kollegal from Mettur.
It has
got a Railway Station (in the upper part of Mettur Dam) from where it is
connected to Salem. There is a daily express train to Chennai from Mettur Dam
and in the return direction too.
Nearest
airport is Salem Airport which has daily flights to Chennai. Nearest Major
Airports are located at Coimbatore, Trichy & Bangalore.