Should TN Farmers Insist on Complete Dredging of PAP Canal Before Water Release?

Chennai, June 5 (NationPress) Farmers from the Tiruppur and Coimbatore districts in Tamil Nadu have called on the Water Resources Department (WRD) to undertake a comprehensive dredging of the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project (PAP) main canal prior to the release of water to the fourth irrigation zone. They caution that neglecting this vital task could result in significant water loss and diminished irrigation effectiveness.

The PAP main canal, which extends over 124 kilometres from the Thirumoorthy Dam in Udumalaipet to Vellakovil in Tiruppur, services an extensive agricultural area of about 3.77 lakh acres, segmented into four irrigation zones.

Notably, the fourth zone encompasses roughly 94,000 acres, stretching the entire length of the main canal. S. Paramasivam, President of the Tamil Nadu Coconut Farmers Association (Tiruppur District), stressed the pressing necessity for desilting. “The PAP system provides irrigation to nearly 4.25 lakh acres across Tiruppur and Coimbatore. Of this, 3.77 lakh acres are directly irrigated from the Thirumoorthy Dam. However, over 75 percent of the main canal has become damaged or clogged with silt, and many branch and distributary canals suffer from poor maintenance,” he remarked.

He pointed out that what previously required 21 days for a complete irrigation cycle now takes as long as 29 days because of water seepage and blockages.

“If dredging is not performed, the system will continue to waste water, causing delays in irrigation and negatively impacting crop yield,” he warned.

Farmers have observed that the WRD is currently supplying water to the third zone for the fourth round, with the fourth zone set to receive water only after the fifth round.

They insist that the canal be cleared before this occurs. “Trees are growing within the canal, and the accumulation of silt is obstructing water flow in various sections,” Paramasivam added.

Kumarasamy, a local farmer, criticized the government for its neglect of the irrigation requirements in Coimbatore and Tiruppur. “The funding provided is severely inadequate. There is a persistent bias that has led to the deterioration of our systems. Without adequate financial resources, the WRD cannot tackle the issue effectively,” he stated.

In response, a senior WRD official from Coimbatore acknowledged these concerns, stating, “We have submitted a proposal for Rs 10 crore dedicated to desilting the PAP, Lower Bhavani Project (LBP), and Amaravathi canals. However, only Rs 1.5 crore has been approved so far. Consequently, we will prioritize critical segments where water flow is most compromised.”

Despite this assurance, farmers remain doubtful and continue to advocate for immediate action to prevent irrigation delays and potential crop losses in the crucial fourth zone.