Photo 48

Loose mounted prints.

The idea of diverting the plentiful (and largely wasted) water supply flowing into the watershed of the western ghats, to the waterstarved and famine-prone areas of the Madurai district on the eastern side of the range is an ancient one, but it was not until 1808 that any practical investigations were carried, and not until 1850 that work was started on a small dam across the Chinna Muliyar, a tributary of the Periyar. This, however, was abandoned due to disease and high labour costs, and the project languished until a detailed report was compiled by Major Ryves RE in 1867, the result of several seasons' investigations. Further schemes and modifications were proposed in the light of later investigation by other engineers and in 1872 a detailed report was submitted by Mr R. Smith which included the following proposals: a 175 foot dam across the Periyar River, a 7,000 foot tunnel under the watershed ridge with cuttings at either end, a series of regulating sluices for passing the waters of the Periyar round the flanks of the various anicuts on the Suruliyar, and works for the distribution of water for irrigating the Madurai and Melur taluks. A further six years passed before any more concrete action was taken, until 1882 when Major Pennycuick RE was seconded to revise the plan and submit detailed estimates. Formal sanction was given to Pennycuick's proposals in late 1887 and work started in September of that year. Preliminary work such as road building and camp construction was largely completed by April 1888.

Work on a canal to transport materials to the main dam from the top of the ghaut was started in 1888 and the Muliapanjan Canal (along the path of the Muliapanjan River) was in use by 1890. By 1895 with the main dam nearly complete the waters of the Periyar were backed up to a height sufficient to allow uninterrupted water carriage from Tekadi to the dam and the dam itself ceased to exist. Its construction and the problems associated with it had caused major delays and additional expense during the seasons 1889-91.

Source: A.T. Mackenzie, 'History of the Periyar Project' (Madras, 1899).