SALEM: Farmers in several parts of Salem have expressed concerns over persistent delays and a lack of clarity at the taluk level in extracting alluvial soil from designated waterbodies, despite the district administration having already issued a notification permitting the same under a regulated system to support both agriculture and pottery activities.
The district administration allows the extraction of alluvial soil -- fertile silt that gets deposited over time in lakes, tanks, and irrigation channels -- that is widely used by farmers as it improves soil fertility, increases moisture retention in farmland, and supports better crop growth; the extraction simultaneously helps in desilting the waterbodies and increasing their storage capacity.
As per the district administration's notification on May 26, a total of 305 waterbodies across Salem have been identified and officially notified for the extraction of alluvial soil, and eligible farmers and pottery workers were required to apply through e-service centres. The applications are to be processed at the taluk level after verification, and the system also limits the quantity of extraction between 75 and 90 cubic metres per acre for agricultural use and up to 60 cubic metres for pottery-related purposes.
However, farmers alleged that, despite the notification being issued several days ago, the implementation has not started smoothly at the field level in many taluks, especially in Pethanaickenpalayam. Many applicants said that they were unable to move forward with the process as approvals had not yet been initiated or clearly communicated, causing confusion among the beneficiaries.
Salem District Farmers Welfare Association president V S Govindharaj said, "There is still no proper coordination at the taluk level, and farmers are being told that further communication is awaited, which has completely stalled the implementation of the scheme."
A revenue department official from Pethanaickenpalayam taluk said, "We have not yet received the official gazette notification from the district administration, and without it, we are unable to start the process at the taluk level. Only after receiving the gazette notification can we verify the list of approved waterbodies, along with the quantity limits and other conditions. Even though farmers are coming to us with applications, we cannot proceed until the official communication is received."
However, officials from the mines department said the scheme is already being implemented across the district. R Eswaran, Assistant Director, Mines, said, "A total of 305 tanks and waterbodies have been identified and approved for alluvial soil extraction in Salem, and the gazette notification has already been published online, with the application process currently active. In Pethanaickenpalayam taluk, 12 tanks have already been approved, and instructions will be issued to officials concerned to avoid further delay in implementation." Further, officials said the scheme is being carried out in a phased manner across all taluks in the district, and clarifications will be provided wherever required so that eligible farmers are able to access alluvial soil without administrative delays.