The Kerala State Planning Board will submit a Rs.1,222 crore Bharathapuzha Basin Development Plan soon to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for getting financial aid from it for the project. The Planning Board member C.P. John told The Hindu on Saturday that the Planning Board held discussions with the WWF delegation two months back on the issue and they were positive about assisting the project. He said that the State government will mobilize the required fund for saving the Bharathapuzha which is the lifeline of the people of Palakkad, Malappuram and Thrissur districts. The WWF team promised to fund some of the components of this pilot project and asked the Planning Board to submit a comprehensive and integrated proposal for the protection of Bharathapuzha, said V.K. Mahanudevan, Chief Engineer, Water Resources Department. He said that funds will not be a problem as aid is expected from different departments of the Central and State governments.. Already Rs.200 crore is there with the River Management Committee of the State for the protection of the river. The Forest Department also has got funds for the protection of river banks. The Rs.1,222 crore proposal – Bharathapuzha Basin Development Plan, – was submitted to the government by Chief Engineer, Investigation and Design, Irrigation Design and Research Board (IDRB) in January 2013. The major components of the project are Rs.316.25 for constructing regulators; Rs.299.27 crore for check dams; Rs.57.50 core for mini-dams and reservoirs (20 to 25); Rs.94.30 crore for protections works to rivers and streams. An area of 16,000 hectares of riverside afforestation will be taken up at a cost of Rs.36.80 crore; Rs.11.50 crore for catchment treatment; Rs.23 crore for large rain water tanks; Rs.11.50 crore for artificial ground water recharging programme (1,000); Rs.5.75 crore for widening Moolathara Left Bank Canal up to Meenkara surplus escape and Rs.92 crore for acquiring 800 hectares of land for the project. The State government had allocated an amount of Rs.13.18 crore in the budget of 2012-13 for preparing the plan proposal for Bharathapuzha, the report said. Bharathapuzha also known as Nila with a length of 209 kms, is the second longest river in Kerala. More than 80 per cent area of Palakkad district is covered by Bharathapuzha; 12 to 13 per cent area by Bhavani basin and the balance by Chalakudy and Kadalundy basins. Though Bharathapuzha has large basin, the water flow is relatively less compared to other long rivers in Kerala. Funding from diverse sources for the project State government has allocated Rs.13.18 crore