Why Are TN Farmers Threatening Protests Over Water Issues in the Athikadavu-Avinashi Project?

Chennai, July 30 (NationPress) Farmers from various village panchayats in Tiruppur district, Tamil Nadu, are on the verge of initiating a series of protests as water from the Bhavani River has not reached several ponds linked to the Athikadavu-Avinashi Project. This situation persists despite the recent release of surplus water from the Lower Bhavani (Bhavani Sagar) Dam.

“Numerous water bodies in Nambiyampalayam, Thekkalur, Karuvalur, Pudupalayam, Uppilipalayam, and Kittampalam are entirely dry,” stated S. Thangamuthu, a farmer from Thekkalur and leader of the Athikadavu-Avinashi Project Agitation Committee.

“The project was launched last year after years of advocacy. However, many areas are still not receiving sufficient water, and in some places, there has been no water supply to the ponds at all,” he elaborated.

Thangamuthu expressed frustration over the lack of response from officials despite multiple complaints. “Even after the release of 16,700 cusecs of surplus water from the Bhavani Sagar Dam into the river, our ponds remain dry. We are still enduring drought-like conditions despite the project's operation. We are gearing up to rally farmers and commence protests shortly,” he warned.

In support of the protest, M.K. Manikantan, another farmer, criticized the authorities for their uneven water distribution. “While major cities and some villages benefit from the scheme, remote areas like ours are overlooked. Many ponds here lack adequate water. This neglect could tarnish the government’s reputation among farmers and the public,” he remarked.

Nevertheless, officials from the Water Resources Department (WRD) have promised prompt rectification of these issues. A senior WRD official from the Avinashi Division explained that damage to project lines during recent road expansion work had hindered water supply at nine locations.

“The damage at the initial points of the lines has caused pumps to shut down completely. We anticipate resolving these issues within a few days,” the official stated.

They also reported that water has already reached 387 water bodies in the Avinashi Division this financial year and highlighted that 1,330 mcft of surplus water was diverted from the Bhavani River for the project last year.

Another senior WRD official from the Perundurai Division noted that the pumping process had been slowed down due to water hyacinths obstructing intake points in the river.

The Athikadavu-Avinashi Project, which commenced operations in August 2024, aims to redirect surplus water from the Bhavani River to 1,045 water bodies and irrigate 24,468 acres of farmland across Erode, Tiruppur, and Coimbatore districts. Farmers warn that if the distribution issues are not resolved swiftly, they will escalate their protests.