Manimutharu River covered with overgrown seemai karuvelam trees near Tirupattur in Sivaganga district.
| Photo Credit: L. BALACHANDAR
Environmental activists and local farmers have urged the district administration to revive stalled river restoration projects in Sivaganga.
The district relies on an intricate, chain-like network of water bodies comprising 968 tanks of the Water Resources Department and 4,871 union tanks, with minor rivers serving as essential supply channels for over 2,500 of them.
Historically, nine key minor rivers formed the backbone of the district’s irrigation system. They comprised the Upparu, which originates in Madurai’s Thiruvavur Periya Kanmmai and flows through Sivaganga into the Vaigai; Nattarkal and Sarukani, which feed into Ramanathapuram’s R.S. Mangalam Periya Kanmmai; Palaaru, originating in Dindigul’s Sendurai and Natham hills and joining the Tirupattur Periya Kanmmai via Singampunari; Manimutharu and Virisuzhiyaru, originating in Pudukottai and reaching Sivaganga’s Poyyalur Dam before branching toward the Bay of Bengal; and Thenaru and Pambaru river systems tied to Karaikudi and Ramanathapuram.
Over the past three decades, however, neglect has taken a heavy toll on these lifelines. Choked completely by invasive seemai karuvelam trees, ravaged by illegal sand mining that has left massive pits, and plagued by rampant encroachments, the natural paths of the nine rivers have been severely disrupted and even entirely erased at some places.
Attempts at revival have faced administrative hurdles. Five years ago, former Collector Jeyakanthan launched a concerted effort with local volunteers to clear parts of the waterways. Momentum picked up again two years ago under former Collector Asha Ajith, who partnered with volunteers to systematically desilt segments of the Palaaru, Virisuzhiyaru, and Sarukaniaru. Yet, each time a leadership transition occurred, the momentum stalled, leaving the broader restoration incomplete.
S. Krishnan, District Coordinator for Water Body Protection, emphasised the urgency of resuming the project. Over one lakh acres of agricultural land depended directly on the minor rivers, and the loss of river channels caused floodwaters to back up into residential areas during heavy rain instead of flowing safely through watercourses.
Although previous community efforts successfully tackled the Sarukaniaru, Virisuzhiyaru and Palaaru, plans to extend desilting to the Manimutharu, Virisuzhiaru, and Thenaru were shelved following administrative transfers. Local agriculture could be revived only through restoration of the minor rivers and volunteers were ready to complete the work if the district administration provided steady cooperation, he added.
Published – November 01, 2026 08:43 pm IST
