Kasaragod residents oppose planned Tejaswini river water extraction

Opposition is growing to a Kerala Water Authority project that proposes extracting water from the Tejaswini river at Mukkada for supply to seven local bodies in Kannur and Kasaragod districts. The Trikkaripur adjoining panchayat drinking water project would serve Kariverllur-Peralam and Kankol-Alapadamba panchayats in Kannur and five panchayats in Kasaragod. Protesters say the project could draw about 20 million litres a day, rising above 30 million litres during March and April.

Action committee coordinator M. Chandran said residents were not opposed to supplying drinking water but wanted a scientific study to establish whether the river could sustain the proposed withdrawal, particularly during summer. The committee said the river already had reduced flow in the dry season and that additional extraction could affect downstream communities.

It also raised concerns about the cumulative impact of water being drawn for the Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala and other drinking-water schemes. Committee member K. Suresh said work had started without adequate consultation.

Large-diameter pipes had reportedly been brought to the site, while construction of a major tank had begun at Pallippara. Residents have demanded that further work stop pending a comprehensive assessment. The committee recently organised a human chain near Mukkada bridge and plans to submit memoranda to local legislators and the Kasaragod District Collector.

KWA project division assistant engineer Subin said a study had been conducted and that the design considered available flow and storage. He said the Palayi regulator held 4.49 million cubic metres, while the project would need about 1.8 million cubic metres over 60 days at 20 MLD. The project is estimated to cost ₹400 crore and includes about 9,000 km of distribution network for roughly 26,000 households.

Its March 2028 deadline is linked to Central funding, the official said.