MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recently directed the state government to consider a petition seeking the construction of a barrage across the Cauvery, near Marudhur village in Kulithalai taluk of Karur.
The litigant P Ayyakannu, state president of the National South Indian River Interlinking Agriculturist Association, said several drinking water supply schemes have been introduced by the state government under which drinking water is taken from Cauvery River to cater to the needs of many districts in the state. As a part of this initiative, the government formulated the Sivagangai Kootu Kudineer Thittam to draw water from the river, within the limits of Marudhur village in Karur. Besides this, the water resources department is also making arrangements to construct a water tank near Sirugamani village in Srirangam taluk of Tiruchy to provide water for industrial purposes to the SIPCOT in Manapparai taluk of Tiruchy district, he added.
While the association members have no objection to these projects, they want the authorities to construct a barrage across the river, so that the groundwater level of the agricultural lands situated on both sides of the river is maintained, Ayyakannu said.
Though the farmers made a representation to the authorities in this regard, the same has not been considered, he added.
Claiming that the inaction of the authorities would affect thousands of acres of agricultural lands, which depend on this water source, the litigant sought the above direction.
A bench of Justices MS Ramesh and AD Maria Clete observed that the authorities should not keep the petitioner's representation pending indefinitely as the same would amount to dereliction of duty, and directed the authorities to consider the representation and take a decision as expeditiously as possible.