TIRUPPUR: A section of farmers have raised concerns that a lot of water has entered their farmlands due to seepage in the main PAP canal near Palladam in Tiruppur district. They also alleged that 250 coconut plants which are about 2.5 years old, have rotted due to this in the area.
N Sivachalamoorthy, an affected farmer from Kullampalayam near Palladam, said, “I have 500 coconut trees on about five acres of farmland. I have also cultivated short variant coconut crops as an intercrop that will bear fruits in four years. In this context, the PAP main canal runs adjacent to my farmland and there has been water seepage on the side of the canal for more than two months, and my crops have been affected. I also informed the Water Resources Department (WRD) officials about this at the very beginning and though the officials visited my farmland, no steps were taken to fix it.”
He added, “Meanwhile, water leakage from the canal has increased in the past few days, and due to this, of my five acres of coconut cultivation, four acres have been stagnated by water. Because of this, 400 coconut trees have been impacted and around 250 plants which are about 2.5 years old, have rotted. This is because the concrete on the side of the canal is damaged. Therefore, the WRD officials should repair the canal. I also need appropriate compensation from the state government.”
B Anbarasu, PAP Welfare Association propaganda secretary, said, “About six farmers from Kottapalayam have also been affected by the water seepage in the PAP main canal. A water seepage at one location has caused water to accumulate on 10 acres of farmland. Around 700 coconut trees have been affected by this. About 200 coconut trees are affected in my three acres of farmland. The WRD should repair the water seepage."
When TNIE contacted Officials from the Water Resources Department (WRD), they said, “The release of water from the Thirumurthy dam to PAP second zone irrigation is scheduled to stop in the first week of January. Appropriate steps will be taken after that.”