ERODE: With the monsoon bringing lower than expected rainfall and the Lower Bhavani Dam (Bhavanisagar Dam) lacking sufficient water reserves, there is a fierce competitive environment among the farmers under the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) and Kalingarayan irrigation systems to secure the water currently available in the dam to prevent any drought-like situation. In wake of this, farmers under both irrigation systems gathered in large numbers and presented their demands to the collector at the collectorate in Erode on Friday.
Against this backdrop, the district administration has approached the water resources department's technical committee regarding this.
On Friday, while presenting their demands, Kalingarayan farmers said, "Usually water is released from the dam for the Kalingarayan irrigation system on June 15 every year. Due to low water levels in the dam, water has currently been released on a temporary basis for 15 days. Now that the inflow has slightly increased, the release of water for irrigation should be continued."
VM Velayutham, president of Kalingarayan Old Ayacut Farmers Welfare Association, said, "Water supply is currently for crops such as sugarcane and turmeric in the Kalingarayan irrigation areas. Therefore, the district administration and the WRD should continue the current water release as the water level is currently at 59 feet. Water was supplied under Kalingarayan irrigation system in the previous days, even when it was 35 feet, and it must continue."
Meanwhile, LBP farmers announced on Friday that they would stage a sit-in from July 24, in front of the WRD executive engineer's office, to press for the release of water for LBP irrigation.
C Nallasamy, president of Lower Bhavani Irrigation Farmers Welfare Association, said, "As per the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) verdict, water should not be released for irrigation purpose during summer. However, officials do not follow any orders. The LBP irrigation system, covering 2.07 lakh acres of agricultural land, is severely affected because officials are releasing water from the dam in violation of orders. Due to the prevailing severe drought conditions, water must be released for 15 days to the first and second zones of LBP areas.”
Speaking to TNIE, Erode Collector S Kandasamy said, "Water has now been released for Kalingarayan irrigation in accordance with the government order. The LBP farmers' demand is reasonable. Their turn will begin only on August 15. However, following their request, we have currently sent the necessary inputs to the WRD's high-level technical committee. An appropriate decision will be taken in this matter based on their review and recommendations."
On Friday, the water level of the dam was 59.59 feet (105), and the storage level was 7.09 tmc (32.8), while the inflow was 422 cusecs.