This is a looming disaster disguised as development. The Kerala government's decision to push forward with two massive dam projects in Wayanad Thondar and Kadamanthodu is not only illogical, but dangerously destructive. The Thondar Dam project alone threatens to submerge over 1,000 acres of fertile farmland and force the displacement of more than 650 families, most of them small-scale farmers and tribal households. Ironically, officials justify the project in the name of agriculture yet what purpose does agriculture serve if the very soil meant to be cultivated is drowned under concrete and water. The government must withdraw these plans before irreversible damage is done to Wayanad’s people, environment, and future.
The hill district of Wayanad, known for its breathtaking landscapes and rich tribal heritage, is under siege not by nature, but by policies that ignore both people and the planet. The Kerala government’s renewed push to construct two massive dams at Thondar and Kadamanthodu in the name of utilizing the 21 TMC water allocated from the Cauvery River is neither visionary nor sustainable. It is a deeply flawed plan that threatens to undermine the ecological stability and cultural identity of an entire region already burdened by past injustices.
Wayanad has already endured the environmental and social cost of two mega-dams Karapuzha and Banasura Sagar. Promoted as irrigation projects that would transform agriculture in the region, they have failed to deliver even the bare minimum. Karapuzha, completed in 2004 at a cost of over ₹500 crores, was expected to irrigate 10,000 acres. Today, not a single acre has received irrigation water from the project. Similarly, Banasura Sagar, once hailed as India’s largest earthen dam and constructed with the promise of 30% agricultural water allocation, has been reduced to a tourism showpiece, with farmers left dry and desperate.
Despite these glaring failures, the state is pushing forward with even larger projects. These are not just financially irresponsible; they are ethically indefensible. They represent a pattern of systematic betrayal of local farmers and tribal communities, wrapped in the language of infrastructure and development.
Wayanad is part of the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s eight “hottest hotspots” of biological diversity. Building more dams here means blasting hills, cutting down dense forests, displacing wildlife, and disturbing fragile catchment areas. The proposed Tondar and Kadamanthodu dams are set to submerge fertile lands, forest patches, and even human settlements. Experts, including noted environmentalist K. Sahadeva, have warned that the dams pose an increased risk of landslides and flooding, especially in areas like Pulpally and Mullankolli, which have so far remained untouched by such disasters.
Kerala has already paid a heavy price for ignoring nature’s warnings. The devastating floods of 2018 and 2019, which claimed hundreds of lives and displaced lakhs, were worsened by unscientific dam management and poor disaster preparedness. Building more large-scale dams in ecologically sensitive zones like Wayanad is a recipe for repeating that tragedy.
The proposed projects threaten to displace hundreds of families, many of them Adivasi (indigenous tribal) communities, who are the original custodians of the land. These are not just statistics. These are people who have preserved Wayanad’s forests, farms, and traditions for generations. Their eviction is not just a relocation it is a cultural erasure and a violation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, and Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA).
Worse, the government is moving forward without public consent, bypassing the need for Gram Sabha approval and refusing to conduct a social and environmental impact audit of past or upcoming projects. This is a breakdown of democratic accountability, where decisions are made in offices and imposed on communities with no voice in their own future.
The people of Wayanad are not remaining silent. In the villages of Edavaka, Vellamunda, and Thondarnad, resistance is growing. Mass rallies have been held involving women, youth, children, and the elderly, demanding the cancellation of the new dam projects. They are not fighting for compensation they are fighting for the right to exist on their own land.
Organizations such as Jala Samrakshana Samithi and Save Western Ghats Movement have also joined the protests. Activists have raised concerns that the Tondar and Kadamanthodu projects could take over 25 years to complete, draining public funds while delivering minimal utility. In a state grappling with debt and climate stress, this is not just a poor investment it is an insult to sustainable governance.
The narrative that these dams are essential to address water scarcity in areas like Mullankolli and Pulpally is false. Experts have proposed viable alternatives, such as using existing water from Karapuzha and Banasura Sagar via large-diameter pipelines. These pipelines could deliver water to parched regions in less than a year, at a fraction of the cost and with zero displacement.
Decentralized water management, rainwater harvesting, watershed development, and tank rehabilitation have all been successful in other Indian states. But these low-impact, people-centered models are being ignored in favor of megaprojects that allow for contractor lobbies, real estate speculation, and political showmanship to thrive.
The government must be held accountable for its past failures before it lays the foundation for new ones. A full social and financial audit of Karapuzha and Banasura Sagar should be conducted. Every rupee spent and every promise broken must be brought into public scrutiny. Until then, no new dam project should be sanctioned.
The state must recognize that water management is not about pouring concrete—it is about understanding landscapes, listening to communities, and respecting ecological limits. In the age of climate change, governance must shift from exploitation to restoration, from monuments to sustainability.
Wayanad stands at a critical juncture. It can either become a model for eco-sensitive development and community rights, or fall victim to the same extractive policies that have scarred countless landscapes across India. The choice lies with policymakers but the voice belongs to the people.
This is not just about dams. This is about justice, conservation, and the future of one of Kerala’s last green frontiers. Let the hills remain unblasted. Let the rivers flow freely. Let the people live with dignity and security. Let Wayanad survive not as a memory of what once was, but as a promise of what still can be.