KARAIKAL : Heeding to the requests of farmers, the Puducherry public works department (PWD) has commenced desilting river channels in Karaikal. A 240-kilometre network of irrigation and drain channels would be desilted at an estimate of Rs 79 lakh before the arrival of River Cauvery water, officials said. The action follows participants at the farmers' grievance redressal meeting on May 27 urging the PWD to commence channel desilting works regardless of the delay in opening Mettur dam.
With the dam shutters not being opened on the customary date of June 12 this year, Karaikal farmers are hopeful that they would receive the river water at least for irrigating samba cultivation later this year.
Puducherry Minister PRN Thirumurugan flagged off the desilting works at Thalatheru on Thursday. A 240-kilometre network of irrigation channels and irrigation-cum-drain channels under the PWD administration in the communes of Nedungadu, Thirunallar, Neravy and TR Pattinam would be desilted.
Executive engineer A Mahesh said, "The desilting works would be completed before Cauvery water reaches Karaikal. The channels will be available for water distribution towards irrigation after work completion." The rural development department is also set to desilt a hundred kilometre channel network under its administration using manual labour under MGNREGS. The narrow channels branch out from the PWD's broad channels and distribute river water to the fields. Further, acting on requests for effective desilting of channels with excessive accumulation of silt, the PWD will use machinery to perform the works.