DHARMAPURI: Harur residents expressed disappointment over the delay in implementation of the Echambadi lift irrigation project. In 2019, the AIADMK government announced the irrigation project would be implemented and allocated for Rs 410 crore.
Under this project, water from Echambadi Dam, which is fed by the Thenpennai river, would be pumped into 66 lakes including Morappur, Navalai, Kambainallur. A sum of Rs 10 lakh has been sanctioned to prepare the Detailed Project Report (DPR).
Farmers say there has been no progress on the scheme so far. Speaking to TNIE, S Murugan from Kambainallur said, “The project is a must for the residents in Morappur and Kambainallur as agriculture has been crippled since the last three months due to lack of groundwater. It is not only about cultivation, there is an increase in the need for clean drinking water.
This project would improve every aspect of our lives.” Another farmer, R Selvakumar from Harur said, “If this scheme is implemented over 56 village panchayats and over 8,000 irrigated areas would improve. Delaying the project is unacceptable, as the DMK had promised to implement it in its election manifesto. Whatever maybe the reason, the project must be imple-mented.”
PWD (WRO) officials stated that the state government has put all lift irrigation projects on hold. An executive engineer said, “We are waiting for a decision from the state government. Usually lift irrigation projects have huge operational costs and some projects have amassed large electricity bills. So the government had taken a policy decision to put on hold all new lift irrigation projects across the state.”