EARLY IRRIGATION SYSTEMS IN KANYAKUMARI DISTRICT

Transcription

1 Chapter I EARLY IRRIGATION SYSTEMS IN KANYAKUMARI DISTRICT The irrigation system of Kanyakumari District dates back to pre-sangam period. The Ay kings who ruled between 4 th century B.C. and 9 th century A.D. showed keen interests in developing the irrigation system. Sangam literature like Purananooru, Padittupattu, Madurai Kanchi makes mention not only about Nanjilnad but the whole district. 1 The irrigation system of the district can be divided into natural and manmade. They are sub-divided into the rivulets, streams, lakes and rainfed or manmade ponds. 2 The manmade irrigation systems are dams, canals, aquaducts, check dams and tanks. These irrigational systems supply sufficient water for irrigation. But the frequent invasions of the Pandyas, the Cholas and Nayaks destroyed the water courses and they caused problems to the peasants and the people. Rivers By rivers one should not compare the rivers of Kanyakumari district with big rivers like Vaigai, Cauvery, Krishna and Kothavari. The existing small rivers are considered to be rivers from time immemorial. Further for the 1 Mrs. Grace Lal Mohan, Historical Background on the Wetlands of Kanyakumari District, Ecology of the Wet Land in Kanyakumari District, Nagercoil, 1999, p Ibid.

2 38 existing geographical situation calling them as rivers is correct and hence it is justified. The entire Kanyakumari district is endowed with a number of canals and conveyance channels. The end and aim of the conveyance system is to maximize production by harnessing the waters of the streams, rivulets and rivers. Besides the major rivers such as Kothaiyar, paraliyar, Pazhayar and Chittar, there are other small rivers such as Alathuraiyar, Valliyar, Mampazhathuraiyar and Mullaiyar. There are also the rivulets running in different parts of the district. Pannivaikal, Pampoorivaikal, Alenchy vaikal, Puttetivaikal, Paruthivaikal and Shenkodivaikal are the other major drainage streams. Besides these there are number of hill streams which potentially supply sufficient water during the monsoon months. 3 As the rivers in the district are running on lowbeds, artificial irrigation was practised for centuries. The Kakkachal dam is a classical example to confirm this fact. Establishment of rights 4 over Nanjilnad and the economic development forced the victor or the vanquished to initiate new projects. One such project was Pandyan Dam and the canal system under its command was constructed centuries ago. It was aimed at protective irrigation to the fertile Nanjilnad. Pandyankal delivered water through the Palayar system. But the 3 Sathyanesan, V., The Canal Irrigation System of Kanyakumari District and its present Status, Ecology of the Wetlands of Kanyakumari District, pp Government of Travancore, Travancore Directory, 1939, p. 433.

3 39 dam and the mechanical devices were designed and made by using the best engineering skills were destroyed during the Chera and Chola conflicts. 5 In spite of that the system continued, as the chief source of distribution of water until the Nanjilnad Puthanar channel was constructed in 1750 by the King Marthanda Varma of Travancore. He was responsible for constructing the Puthen Dam a few miles below the Pandyan dam and two canals, namely the Padmanabhapuram Puthen channel and Nachinad Puthanar as supplementary irrigation sources to the old wetlands in the Kalkulam, Thovalai and Agastheeswaram taluks. 6 In course of time they proved to be insufficient because of the seasonal failure of monsoons. Crop failures caused constrain to the collection of revenue. The government had to face the loss of revenue and remissions made consequent upon the crop failures. 7 Thestwo systems, the Westkal and East Main channel, Krishnankoil, Asaripallam and Karavilai branches take off from the East Main channel. It continues its course delivering water to its distributaries such as the Athikarai channel, Kottar and Thengamputhur branches forced the government to seek for complementary scheme to augment the supply of water for irrigation to increase productivity. Hence in 1837, the Kothaiyar project was proposed to irrigate agricultural operations at Kalkulam, Nagam Aiya, V., op.cit., 1906, p. 25. Sathyanesan, V., op.cit., p. 18. Important Papers relating to the Kothaiyar Project, Vol. III, n.p.

4 40 Eraniel, Thovalai and Agastheeswaram taluks. Consequently the Pechipparai project was proposed to minimize the wastage of water. But nothing could be materialized. Dewan Nanu Pillai, in 1877 gave life to this project. Yet again the proposal did not materialize, on the other hand the government attempted to renovate and repair the existing canals. But it could not meet the irrigational needs of the people. Repeated crop failures caused much constrain to the state exchequer. Finally the Kothaiyar project was materialized by integrating the old distribution system under its command. The water reaches Chellamthurai. At this place it was divided into Thovalai channel after running about 30 miles forked into Nilapparai and Marutuvalmalai and irrigate to the tail enders. The regular channel travels a short distance and reaches Surulucode where begins the Anandanar system. Besides these there are rivers like Palayar and other rivers irrigate Kanyakumari District. Palayar River Pazhayar was called Pahruliyar in ancient times. Silapathikaram, the Tamil epic confirms the statement. 8 The word Palayar in Tamil means old river. Tradition states that when Lord Indra built the temple at Suchindrum, the elephant Iravatam dug a river especially for the temple with its tusk. Hence 8 Sitaram Gurumoorthi, Handbook of Kanyakumari District, Tamilnad State Department of Archaeology, Madras, 2008, p. 45.

5 41 this river is called Dandanati. 9 The other name of the river is Vadaseri river. 10 Palayar was about hundred-yard width during the early period and provided with a series of anicuts otherwise called the check-dams, from them and the supplementary channels water is distributed to a number of tanks and streams in Nanchilnad. The streams and small canals serve the district well so that water supply in the district remains satisfactory. 11 Palayar was formed by the flow of a number of streams from the secondary range of Sahyadri. They drain the nearby estates and join the palayar. It runs a course of 37 to 40 kilometers touching historically important places like Boothapandy, thazhakudi, Vadassery, Kottar, Suchindrum and runs south and southeastward and merges with Manakudy estuary. 12 There are a number of branches which take their courses from the river. They are the Anandanar, Pallikondankal, Payodkal, Mettukkal, Arasayarkal, Velavadikal, Terakal, Perumkalayar, Parakkaikal, Suchindram Kal and Manakudyankal. Of these, the Perumkalayar has fallen into disuse and the area irrigated by it is now included under the Puthenar canal which was constructed by Marthanda Varma in 1748 and Anethanar, the former is lying in the west and the latter to the east of Palayar. The extent of cultivation covered by the Danda means tusk, nadi in Tamil means river. Gopalakrishnan, M., op.cit., p. 5. Ibid. Ibid., p. 6.

6 42 Palayar valley including these two branches is 16,959 hactares. Beyond this, taking into account of cultivation of paddy in Nanjilnad, the ancient rulers constructed eleven check dams in Palayar. They are Veerapuli dam, Pallikondan dam, Chattupudur dam, Sabari dam, Cholakuthu dam, Kutty dam, Veeranamangalam dam, Kumari dam, Pillaipetha dam and Mission dam. 13 The Veerapuli dam was made by the Venad ruler Bhuthala Sri Veera Udayal Marthandavarma in Pallikondam dam was made during the reign of Marthandavarma the Venad King in The Kutty dam was made ready by the Pandya kings who invaded Nanjilnad. The Pallikondam dam, Chettupudur dam were formed by King Marthandavarma after he conquered the kingdom and established Travancore kingdom. 15 The Pillaipetha dam was construted during the rule of Venad kings. The Cholakuttu dam was made by the Chola kings. 16 The Mission dam was constructed during 1815, by Ringletaube the pioneering missionary. He got paddy fields at Thamaraikulam as a donation from Rani Gauri Lekshmi Bai, between through the influence of Col. Munro, to meet the expenses of running schools. These are the man made dams very small in size. These are otherwise called thaduppu 13 Mrs. Grace Lal Mohan, op.cit., p Pillaipetha dam is called so because at the course of its construction a pregnant woman who came to take bath, delivered a child Sitaram Gurumoorthy, op.cit., p 28. Mrs. Grace Lal Mohan, op.cit., pp. 8-9.

7 43 annais made to irrigate the paddy fields which are higher from the river beds. Water collected in such way is passed through small sluices. Palayar collects the entire drain of the valley and irrigate Nanjilnad. Taking off from Chattuputhur dam, through canals it irrigates a considerable area of land in Nanjilnad. After feeding numerous tanks, it split up into minor distributaries called Mettukkal and Variyurkal. 17 The main Palayar passes through Boothapandi, Thazhakudi, Kottar, Suchindrum and enters the Manakudy estuary. The left discharge starting from the left of Puthen dam runs towards the south and reaches Adayamadai head work. 18 From Adayamadi it is divided into Erattaikarai channel and splitted off into Thottyiode, Madathattuvilai, Kandanvilai, Mallancode, Koduppaikuzhi distributaries and reaches Rajakkamangalam. The Rajakkamangalam branch has some minor distributaries like Santhapuram, Murungavillai and Azhaganvilai branches. 19 The Thiruvithancode channel has some distributaries like the Eraniel branch, Neyyoor distributary, Colachel branch and Cheramangalam branch. The Amaravilai branch reaches Thickanamcode. From Thickanamcode it runs towards the south, transferred into the Pamboorivaikal and enters the sea at Mrs. Grace Lal Mohan, op.cit., pp Sathianesan, V., op.cit., p. 18. Ibid., pp

8 44 Colachel. 20 Thus the Palayar irrigation system not only satisfies Nanchilnad but Edanad also. The Palayar system irrigates the following areas Palayar Kal Anandanar Main Channel West kal A.K. Kal Krishnancoil Kal Asaripallam channel Karavilai Channel East Main Athikadai channel Thengamputhur Channel Kottar channel Veerapuli kal Kutty Dam kal Pallikondan kal Peyode Kal Nanchil Nadu Puthanar Channel Arasiyar kal acres 9902 acres 776 acres acres acres acres acres acres 1141 acres 883 acres 449 acres acres acres acres acres 8900 acres acres 20 Sathianesan, V., op.cit., p. 21.

9 45 Vilavadi kal Suchindram kal Manakudiyan kal Pila petha Dam kal Mission Dam Kal Nilaparai Channel acres acres 600 acres acres acres 5756 acres Radhapuram channel acres 21 Thus the Palayar system of irrigation is useful for Agastheeswaram and Thovalai taluks. The Paraliyar Irrigation System River Paraliyar originates in the hills found on the north of Mahendragiri mountain at an attitude of 1600 metres above the sea level and flows south and southwestern direction. It is intercepted by Perunchani dam. It receives water from Pechipparai dam through the left bank channel before it reaches the weir called Puthen dam. 22 It is understood that it is the earliest irrigation system in the whole of South Travancore. 23 The engineers of the Pandyan rulers suggest that about thousand years ago the Pandyan kings constructed a dam called Pandyan dam. The dam was twenty feet height. It was built of massive square 21 Executive Engineer, P.W.D. Flowchart, Palayar Irrigation System Gopalakrishnan, op.cit., p. 6. Velupillai, T.K., op.cit., p. 414.

10 46 stones across the Paraliar and cut a channel through solid rock for a distance of about two miles or three kilometers through the saddle forming the extreme water shed. 24 The Pandyan canal which was an engineering marvel conducts the water into Palayar where eleven anicuts were constructed to carry water for agriculture in Nanjilnad within a distance of twenty miles. There were eight principal channels besides minor channels. By 1750 A.D., another dam known as the Puthen dam was constructed to irrigate Edanad. A channel called the Padmanabapuram Puthanar was also constructed to carry water to Edanad. This canal carries water to a portion of Kalkulam taluk. 25 But these two works were not sufficient to supply water to Nanjilnad and Edanad with the available quantity of water for irrigation. 26 In July 1881, Dewan Ramaiyar made an official tour through the Southern taluks of Travancore in the course of which he minutely inspected the irrigation work at Nanjilnad. He found that the progress of the work was found to be unsatisfactory, so he immediately ordered the Chief Engineer to take immediate steps to bring about an improvement. On his part, the Chief Engineer reported that four works to be carried out immediately. 1. To stop the leakage of the Puthen dam immediately 2. Widening and improving the Pandyan kal Nagam Aiya, V., op.cit, Vol. III, pp Velupillai, T.K., op.cit., p Ibid.

11 47 3. Complete restoration of Padmanabhapuram Puthanar dam and 4. Recommended for a new channel from Thiruparappu weir system to irrigate the Vilavancode taluk. 27 But the works were carried out partially. River Thambraparani Thambraparni is the other name of Kuzhithurai river. It is formed near Thiruvattar by the merger of the Paraliyar and the Kothaiyar. 28 Two streams, one from Mathavan Pothai 29 and the other from the Thacchamalai hills join together and called Thambraparani. After a course of 32 kilometers at Kalkulam and Vilavancode taluks, river Kothaiyar joins with Paraliyar at Movattumuham 30 to form Western Thambraparani. 31 River Thambraparani takes a south western direction and joins the sea at Thengapattanam Velupillai, T.K., op.cit., p Sivaraman Nair, V., Census of India, Trivandrum, 1952, p Matavan Pothai means a lame man s potha. It is called so because a lame man occupied this place for long time. 30 Movattumuham means confluence of the three small rivers, Paraliyar, Kothaiyar and Thambraparani. 31 The original Thambraparani flows at Thirunelveli district which begins at Agasthya mountain. The river that flows through Kuzhithurai is called Western Thamraparny 32 Thengapattanam was a flourishing commercial centre under the Dutch. Pooner, Rise of Dutch Power, Trichinopol, 1956.

12 48 Thiruvattar, 33 Kuzhithurai and Munchirai 34 are important places on its banks. On its confluence at a sea, a large lagoon is formed which attracts many tourists. Thambraparani is a rainfed river. During the Southwest and Northeast monsoons, it overflows and causes much damage to the lives and properties of those who live on the banks of the river especially at certain portions of Vilavancode taluk. 35 The above said are perennial canals and they are used to supply water to the fields. A barrage of dam is constructed across the river resulting in the storage of water. The canal is taken from this reservoir at a gentle angle than the river. Most of flood canals are being converted into perennial canals. 36 The Mullaiyar The Mullaiyar in Vilavancode taluk is a stream. It flows a course of about 11 kms through Kalial, Edaicode and Pacode. It joins the Western Thambraparani at Thikurichy near Marthandam Thiruvattar Thiru means wealth, Vattar means round. Thiruvattar is noted for Adikeshavaperumal Temple. 34 Munchirai: According to myth, Ravana took Sita through this place and kept her in confinement at this place for a while. Hence it is called so. The other important thing is that this place was noted of a Vedic college which housed 90 scholars Bishop Caldwell, R., A History of Tinnevelly, New Delhi, 1982, p. 5. Palanivelu, M., Social Science, New Delhi, 1997, p Gopalakrishnan, M., op.cit., p. 7.

13 49 Valliyar River Valliyar is comparatively a small river. It is 16 kms. long. It rises in the Velimalai hills of Kalkulam taluk. On its course, thuvalar, which originates from other parts of Velimalai joins Velliyar at Thuckalay. On its course it feeds a tank called Periakulam. It passes through Kothanallur, Kalkulam, Eraniel, Thalakulam, Manavalakurichy and at its confluence at Kadiapattanam 38 with sea a small lagoon is formed. On its both sides, paddy fields, coconut groves are found and enrich the rural economy of the area it passes. Valliyar comes under the category of irrigation canal. It is one of the old types of canals which carry the surplus water of river during rainy season and flood times only. It irrigates only a small area. 39 The A.V.M. Canal The canal between Chennankara and Trivandrum was the first of its kind in the erstwhile Travancore state. It was constructed during the period of Dewan Venkitarao ( ). However, the Anatnthan Victoria Marthandavarma Canal, popularly known as the A.V.M. Canal, was the only 38 Kadiapattanam. The original name of the place is called Kai Kdiha pattanam. In Tamil it means a place, that took a finger of the king as sacrifice. It was the custom among the Travancore kings before reaching Suchindrum Arattu festival to go to Kadiapattanam for a holy dip. Once it so happened that after the holy dip, when the king returned the sea also moved with great waves. After seeing that the king cut of his little finger and offered blood sacrifice. Hence the name kadiapattanam. Thambimarkathai Palm Leaf Manuscript. 39 Palanivelu, op.cit., p. 302.

14 50 work of its kind in the whole of South Travancore. Of the title, A.V.M., A stands for the Travancore deity Ananthapadmanabha Swamy, V stands for the British Queen Victoria whose representative was there in Travancore and M stands for the maker of modern Travancore king Marthandavarma. The construction of A.V.M. Canal was completed in July 1860 during the reign of Uthiram Thirunal Marthandavarma ( ). By 1860 the canal between Poovar and Colachel was completed. The actual length of the completed canal was 17½ miles including 1½ miles of natural lakes or reservoirs. However, the A.V.M. Canal work has to be suspended due to the commencement of the Varkala Canal work at Travancore. In 1860, Ramavarma succeeded Utram Thirunal Marthandavarma and revived the work in By February 1864, a further length of 10 miles between Poovar and Thengapattinam was completed. The coastal villages numbering more than 20 on the canal side like Pozhiyoor, Kollemcode, Neerodi, Marthandamthurai, Vallavilai, Eraviputhenthurai, Thengapattinam and Colachel depended on the transport for most of their needs including navigation. This canal offered easy transport facilities to men and materials and enabled Mondaicadu to emerge as a more prominent religious centre. Until 1950, the pilgrims from Kerala used the

15 51 A.V.M. canal as their route to reach Mondaikadu for the Bhagavathiamman festival. 40 The A.V.M. Canal began at North Paravoor in Ernakulam District of Kerala and passed Poovar in Kerala and Pozhiyoor, Kollencode, Neerodi, Marthandamthurai, Vallavilai, Erayummanthurai, Chinnathurai, Thoothoor, Enayam, Thengapattanam at Vilavancode Taluk, Colachel and Mondaikad, where Devi Mondaikattamma temple is situated at Kalkulam taluk. 41 Another usefulness of the A.V.M. Canal is that it prevents salinisation of drinking water sources from Colachel to Kollemcode. Further its usefulness from agriculture and coconut cultivation is of very great. It serves as a source of development of the rural economy. The present condition of the A.V.M. canal is a shock and shame to the administration and the inhabitants of the district. The canal is completely polluted and occupied by weeds. Streams Apart from these rivers, there are small streams which originate from the mountains. One such stream was Ulakkaiaruvi near Azhakiapandiapuram. It helps the agriculturists for cultivation. The Ulakkaiaruvi stream runs through 40 Variethiah, K., Neithal Chavudukal, 1994, p Dinamalar, , p. 14.

16 52 the nearby villages. This river is yet to be fully harnessed and utilized for the drinking purposes. There are other small streams which join at Kalikesam and form Kalikesam river. At Keeriparai a torrent is formed into a bigger stream. But is filled with water during rainy season and dry during other seasons. There are numerous small streams running from the mountains but they join in the jungles with some streams and helps cultivation in the forests and hills. There are other streams that flow in the hill side. The Alankal joins with Valliyaru at Thalakulam. Thus rivers are the backbones of irrigation in Kanyakumari district. Apart from these rivers there are many tanks that help the agriculturists in Kanyakumari district. Man-made Tanks Apart from rivers, tanks are a source of irrigation. There are different kinds of tanks. They are manmade and natural. The man made tanks are those tanks which are made out of necessity either by the villagers or by the village Panchayat or by Panchayat Unions. While they were digging the tanks always they took into consideration the storing capacity of the tanks. Kapilar one of the Sangam poets gives an account of the construction of tanks. According to him tank should be shorter in length, should be capable of more storing capacity

17 53 and should be of crescent shaped of the eighth day after its appearance. 42 Kariasan, in his Sirupanchamulam gives five points for the construction of a good pond. According to him: 1. To dig the pond 2. To make embankment 3. To make sluices to flow in and sluices to let out excess water. 4. To make fields 5. To make a common well. 43 He also stated that when embankment was made to prevent water leakage, first a strong mud wall should be made and surrounding that sand walls should be made. 44 The ancient Tamils also found a good system of distribution management of water. They had calculated the irrigation time taken for an Ayakat of a pond. A pond should have three sluices. The first sluice should irrigate the Ayacut in 15 Naligai. 45 The second sluice should irrigate the Ayakat in 10 Naligai and the third should irrigate in 5 Naligai. If all the three 42 Gomathinayagam, Water Management of the Ancient Tamils, Joint Action for sustainable Livelihood, p Ibid., p. 24. Ibid. 45 Naligai. This is the ancient system of measuring a day, a day consists of 60 Naligai. So one naligai = 24 minutes.

18 54 sluices are opened it will irrigate the whole ayacut in 2 naligai. 46 Thus during the early period, tanks were created with a clear idea to meet the needs of the people. There are more than 5000 tanks and ponds of different categories. Tanks are divided into natural tanks, river fed tanks and rainfed tanks. The natural tanks are commonly found throughout the district. At Agastheeswaram taluk of Kanyakumari District there are three major tanks. They are the Prakkaikulam, Putheri Kulam and Therur Kulam. 47 In Thovalai taluk also there are two tanks, and the Erachakulam, the Kadukkarai kulam. These tanks or kulams are equal to a small dam. Coming to kalkulam taluk, Aloor kulam, Peria Kulam, Kalpadi kulam, Nalli kulam and many other ponds are found. In Vilavancode taluk too, there are bigger tanks and smaller ponds. These ponds irrigate thousands of acres of paddy fields and make the area surrounded by them fertile and rich. These ponds keep the drinking water through the underwater springs. Thus the natural tanks irrigate the paddy fields and keep the drinking water stable. 48 Mostly they are rain-fed. These ponds augment rural economy of the area in which they are located. Totally there are more than two thousand tanks in the district Gomathinayagam, op.cit., p. 25. Kulam means tank. P.W.D. Report on Irrigation, 1963, p. 19.

19 55 River fed Tanks The river fed tanks are filled by rivers on their course. Beyond these, the copper plates of the Pandya kings which belonged to the 9 th century mentions about Pasunkulam, Vanchi kulam, Nedumarthu kulam Perunkulam, Elanchi kulam and Kondan kulam. Some of these tanks were made by the Pandya king Veeranarayana. 49 The Therekal canal carried water from river Pazhayar to the Thathiarkulam, Puthukiramam kulam and Theroor kulam. 50 Theroor Kulam is one of the biggest ponds that is useful for paddy cultivation in hundred acres of paddy fields. The Pandya King Maran Chadayan, was an important contributor to irrigation in Kanyakumari district. King Marthandavarma Maharaja, also made about 16 large tanks. They were Thanumalaya Puthen kulam, Puthanar kulam, Kendan kulam, Thanumalaya kulam, Vaila kulam, Pirakulam, Vaigai kulam, Varayananeri kulam, Kannimar kulam, Mantharam kulam and Achan kulam. 51 These riverfed ponds contribute to the agricultural operations of the particular areas in which it is situated. Beyond this, there are number of river fed tanks spread throughout the length and breadth of the district. These 49 Veeranarayana Mangalam at Thovalai taluk is named after this king. He was instrumental in making the Therekal canal which takes water from Pazhayar for agricultural purpose Mrs. Gnana Lal Mohan, op.cit., pp Ibid., p. 10

20 56 tanks are sometimes fed by the distributor canals from the main canal made by the government. In places, where the P.W.D. has not done those works of distributory canals, the farmers of each area contribute either manual labour or money to do the work. 52 The following example will clearly show that the Mampazhathuraiyar river feeding canal fills the following ponds directly or indirectly in their course. Name of the pond Area of irrigation 1. Nagaithiruthakulam 6.91 Acres 2. Kavadikulam 6.73 Acres 3. Maruthankulam 7.56 Acres 4. Chenkal Kulam 5.02 Acres 5. Puthuthiruthakulam 1.46 Acres 6. Porkodimar Kulathu Kulam 3.61 Acres 7. Sasthan Kulam 2.14 Acres 8. Kannan Parai kulam Acres 9. Melachira Kulam 4.8 Acres 10. Kariya Mangalathu kulam Acres 11. Some Seri Kulam Acres 12. Kalkulam 7.04 Acres 52 P.W.D. Report on Irrigation 1963, p. 20.

21 Paraiyadi Kulam Acres 14. Erattaikulam 7.04 Acres 15. Veppankuzhi kulam 2.10 Acres 16. Chengaladi Kulam 2.55 Acres 17. Puthen Kulam Acres 18. Thiruppal Kulam 9.03 Acres 19. Pillukulam Acres 20. Thiruvattuzhi kulam 5.07 Acres 21. Kundukulam 0.91 Acres 22. Ullankuzhi kulam 12.5 Acres. 53 The Rainfed Tanks and Ponds The rainfed ponds always depend on the monsoon. The rainfall is regular and steady because Kanyakumari district is situated on the western coast. The mean annual rainfall in Agasteeswaram taluk is 36.4 and 48.7 in Thovalai taluk. 54 The south-west monsoon (May-August) yields The north-east monsoon, September-November supplies The month of October records the highest monthly rainfall of During these seasons 53 Executive Engineer, Public Works Department, Nagercoil, pp Nagam Aiya, V., Travancore State Manual, Trivandrum, 1996, (Revised edition), Vol. I, p Ibid., p. 68. Ibid.

22 58 water accumulates in the ponds found in certain areas of Agastheeswaram, Thovalai, Kalkulam and Killiyoor of Vilavancode taluk. The water saved during the rainy season is used for cultivation of Manavari crop in some places at Kalkulam, Thovalai and Agastheeswaram taluks. Some of the tanks are owned by private individuals and maintained by them. Yet there are ponds which are owned and maintained by the villagers. These rainfed ponds are called community ponds or tanks. 57 They are substitutes to the other ponds wherever they are absent. The economic value of these ponds is very high in areas where cultivation could not be made. They help the development of rural economy. Now-a-days the rain water conservation technology, is gaining popularity. This type of water conservation consists of the dugout ponds, small earthen embankment. The diagonal ponds are excavated ponds otherwise called farm ponds. They can be designed to fit into an individual farm or number of farms or community ponds. The site selected for the pond should be capable of storing the run of water that goes waste. Such ponds should be located in places favourable for outlet condition. 58 There are plenty of ponds or 57 Mrs. Grace Lal Mohan, op.cit., pp Sam, M.J., Methods of Rainwater Conservation and their importance of conserving the Rain water, The Ecology of Wetlands in Kanyakumari District, Proceedings of the Seminar, 1999, pp

23 59 tanks of this type found in Kanyakumari district. 59 They form a good substitute to the other irrigation systems. Percolation Tanks There are small earthern dams found here and there used for common use. These ponds are either square or rectangular or round in shape. 60 The major defect of these ponds is to be desilted very often. The next type of the percolation tank or ponds are constructed across natural streams. 61 These ponds are used for augmenting the ground water discharge. Another type of water conservation is called sub-surface water harvesting. 62 The western ghats is noted for the sub-surface water conservation. 63 The rainwater harvesting is useful in many ways either for irrigation augmentation or for drinking and can reduce the demand for water supply. Except the natural ponds and river fed tanks others are manmade to satisfy a community or a group of men or a village. These ponds were used for the use of the villagers. Paddy fields, coconut groves, plantain garden and vegetable gardens enrich the rural economy of the village Sam, M.J., op.cit., p. 83. Ibid., p. 84. Ibid. Ibid., p. 85. Ibid., p. 86. Chief Engineer, Minor Irrigation, P.W.D. Report, dated 23 July 1987.

24 60 Natural Ponds There are many natural ponds, such as Parakkai kulam, Putheri kulam, Thathaiar kulam, Kaniya kulam, Veerani kulam in Agastheeswaram taluk. 65 Peria kulam, Nalli kulam, Eraniel kulam, Vellimalai kulam, Thalakkulam, Kurunthenkottu kulam, Attoor kulam and many in kalkulam taluk, so also in Thovalai taluk there are many ponds. In the case of Vilavancode taluk, the natural ponds are limited. Whereas in Thovalai taluk, Erachakulam is the only big pond that fills during rainy season and supply water for agriculture. 66 Apart from these there are large number of small ponds, that satisfy the local needs of the place in which they are situated. Normally the rainfed and natural tanks store water sometimes from the springs. Others store water during rainy seasons. 67 Besides these there are river fed ponds. These ponds are large in number. If we go through the flow chart of the rivers it will be very clear that how many tanks are filled by a single river especially Chittar Pattanankal and Pazhayar irrigation schemes Gopala Krishnan, M., op.cit., pp Chief Engineer, Minor Irrigation, Report, 23 July Gopala Krishnan, M., op.cit., p. 312.

25 61 district. The following table clearly gives details about the number of tanks in the Sl.No. Name of Taluks Rain-fed or Manmade River-fed or systems tank 1 Vilavancode Agastheeswaram Kalkulam Thovalai Total Thus, it is clear from the above chart that the irrigation system that was developed during the early period in Kanyakumari district is still continuing and helping the people. Lakes Besides these, the Manakudy kayal, the Thengapattanam lake, and the Mukkudal lake are some of the important lakes that cater to the needs of the people. 68 Nagercoil. The Mukkudal Dam is used for the drinking water to the people of The water is brought from Mukkudal to filter the house in Nagercoil Gopala Krishnan, N., op.cit., p. 7. Velupillai, T.K., op.cit., p. 174.

26 62 At the same time, the people of Boothapandy and Thittuvilai made representations and petitions to the Government. As a result of it, the Government directed the Chief Engineer to prepare a report. 70 It was proposed that water from Mukkudal reservoir could be brought to Nagercoil town. The village panchayats also agreed to meet the annual charges for the working of the scheme. As the Government was fully satisfied, it called for a detailed plan and detailed estimate for the scheme. 71 The scheme was submitted and used for drinking water. Thus, the earlier irrigation systems were well planned aiming at the welfare and benefit of the people G.O. ROC No. 4358/36 P.W.D., dated Velupillai, T.K., op.cit., p. 175.