Prospects fade for Tamil Nadu’s landmark Rs 14,000 crore Kaveri rejuvenation initiative to launch before state elections, hampered by funding bottlenecks and bureaucratic coordination failures. Dubbed Nandanathai Vazhi, the scheme promises to restore the river’s vitality for farming and ecosystems alike.
AIADMK heavyweight Edappadi K. Palaniswami has seized on the lag, charging the DMK with intentional delays post-central sanction. The accusation has elevated the issue to a key electoral flashpoint.
Department heads maintain procedural delays are at fault, not partisanship. ‘Awaiting finance nod, plus aligning a dozen entities like revenue and power boards, is no small feat,’ an official detailed. ‘Pre-poll commencement is off the table given the magnitude.’
Initial funding of Rs 934 crore—center’s Rs 560 crore share against state’s Rs 374 crore—targets Mettur-Trichy rehabilitation over 1,092 km, encompassing tributaries like Noyyal and Bhavani. Subsequent phases extend seawards.
Delta voices grow desperate amid ecological decline. ‘Development has poisoned our river—fewer fish, barren lands, contaminated wells,’ vented 52-year-old M. Ramasamy of Thiruvarur, invoking damning pollution studies.
The comprehensive strategy deploys sewage treatment, industrial waste plants, and embankment upgrades. Farmers’ leader K.V. Elankiran highlighted transformative potential: ‘Tail-end areas like Mayiladuthurai manage one harvest; success here means multiple cycles and prosperity.’
As debates rage, the project’s postponement underscores the clash of ambitious infrastructure goals with Tamil Nadu’s electoral rhythm, prolonging distress for river-dependent communities.