The lakhs of pilgrims visiting Sabarimala this season may not be affected by the shortage of water consequent on the failure of monsoon. To meet the increasing need for drinking water, it is proposed to augment the water storage capacity of Kunnar dam, the only water source for Sabarimala.
Chief Secretary and Chairman of the Sabarimala High-Powered Committee K Jayakumar told Express that the project will be implemented by the Sabarimala High-Powered Committee on Infrastructure Development in association with the Travancore Devaswom Board.
K Jayakumar, who took charge as the Chief Devaswom Commissioner recently after the expiry of the previous TDB, said that the water storage capacity of Kunnar dam, located eight km on the north-eastern side of Lord Ayyappa temple, would be augmented to 50 lakh litres from 12 lakh litres at present.
The project involves raising the height of the dam by another three metres after strengthening the basement. On completion of the first phase, the storage capacity would go up by another 15 lakh litres. In the final phase, a check-dam would be constructed in the upstream of the present dam with an additional storage capacity of 33 lakh litres.
Jayakumar said that the next devaswom board meeting would give the nod for the expansion scheme costing about Rs 5 crore.
The dam was constructed by the Travancore Devaswom Board in 1957. Jayakumar, who led a high-powered team, including the then Special Devaswom Commissioner, M Rajendran Nair, TDB chief engineer Ravikumar and assistant conservator of forests Suresh, visited Kunnar dam as part of studying the prospects of augmentation of storage capacity.
A detailed project report at an estimated cost of `4.50 crore was prepared about one year ago. With the increase in material cost, transportation and wages, the expense would come to about `5 crore at present, he said.
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