TIRUPPUR: The state government has issued an order for desilting the Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP) canals at a cost of Rs 10 crore.
Water Resources Department officials told TNIE that the works will begin after the end of water release to the fourth zone of the PAP area.
"This scheme is to clear the jungle and loose debris as well as desilt the canals of PAP. We had planned for 160 works, but 154 works have received administrative sanction," a senior WRD official stated.
"We plan to complete the desilting works before Pongal as it is mandatory to release water for irrigation to the first zone during the festival season," he added.
Chief Minister MK Stalin had announced funds for desiliting while he visited Tiruppur district on August 11. At that time, the irrigation association leaders and farmers met him and requested to allocate special funds for desilting the Parambikulam Aliyar project canals. The CM subsequently announced that Rs 10 cr would be allocated.
On December 3, J Jayakanthan, Secretary of the Water Resources Department, gave administrative sanction to this and issued a government order.
"Under this scheme, 44 desilting works are to be carried out in Thirumurthy division at an estimated cost of Rs 2.88 cr, 27 works in Parambikulam division at an estimated cost of Rs 2.15 cr, and 83 works in Aliyar basin division at an estimated cost of Rs 4.97 cr. The proposed 154 desilting works will benefit a total ayacut area of 1,33,976.62 hectares in PAP," the GO states.
Currently, water has been released from the Thirumurthy Dam for the fifth wetting of the fourth zone of the PAP. As per the government order, water should be provided for the fifth wetting till December 9. But recently, the water release was interrupted due to a break in the main canal in the Vavipalayam area. Therefore, we have decided to release the water for another 10 days from December 9. After that, desilting work will begin in the canals, the aforementioned official explained.
P Velusamy, President of PAP Vellakoil Branch Canal Water Conservation Movement, said, "Canals should be desilted at least twice a year. But the government has not allocated enough funds to PAP for this purpose for the last four years. We welcome the current allocation of special funds."
The Parambikulam Aliyar Project encompasses seven reservoirs, four hydro power generation stations, six tunnels, one weir, a contour canal, and the Aliyar feeder canal diverting the west-flowing rivers into the east to irrigate the rain shadow lands lying in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts.