18 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Kangeyam, Vellakovil farmers plan stir seeking fair share of PAP water
TIRUPPUR: Farmers from Kangeyam and Vellakovil plan to besiege the Pollachi-based office of the Superintendent Engineer (SE) of the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project (PAP) on June 24, demanding adequate water supply to the tail-end areas and equitable sharing.
However, exposing a rift among PAP farmers, a complaint has been filed with the police and Water Resources Department (WRD) on behalf of the PAP planning committee, stating that this protest will cause law and order issues and the protest should not be allowed.
Under the PAP scheme, 4.25 lakh acres of agricultural land in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts are getting irrigation. Through the Thrumurthy Dam alone, about 3.77 lakh acres are irrigated and these are divided into four zones with 95,000 acres per zone.
Water is currently being supplied to the third zone.
Farmers from Kangeyam and Vellakovil are planning to besiege the PAP's SE office in Pollachi in Coimbatore district on June 24, demanding fair sharing of the PAP water.
P Velusamy, the President of PAP Vellakoil Branch Canal Water Conservation Movement, said, "As per the norm there should be balanced sharing of irrigation water of the PAP system. But this is completely absent as water is being drawn in excess from the main canal for supply to many branch and distribution canals. And, water theft is very rampant. We, the farmers of the tail-end, are directly affected by this."
"In all 12,000 acres depend on the Vellakovil branch canal. Of this, 800 acres did not receive water for irrigation even on Saturday. We will carry out this protest for these reasons. We are mobilising farmers from village to village," he added.
The Planning Committee, an elected body, of the PAP (Thirumurthy dam) has opposed this protest, faering law and order issues among farmers and collapse of the PAP system.
