TIRUPPUR: Farmers have urged the secretary of the Water Resources Department (WRD) to take action against officials for allegedly not initiating legal proceedings against those stealing or damaging equipment, including the Outlet Management System (OMS) technology, installed in the tanks under the Athikadavu-Avinashi project.
P Shanmugasundaram, a farmer of Pudupalayam village in Avinashi, said, “The Athikadavu-Avinashi scheme, a special project of the Tamil Nadu government, is being implemented by the WRD in Erode, Tiruppur, and Coimbatore districts. About 1,045 waterbodies are connected under this project. This project is equipped with modern technological equipment to monitor the water flow in each pond. However, anti-social elements continue to steal and damage the equipment installed in the ponds for the project. Due to this, it is impossible to fill waterbodies under the scheme. This is leading farmers to engage in protests.”
The farmer said, “The project officials are failing to take legal proceedings against those involved in this activity and are being negligent in protecting government property,” and demanded directions to tighten surveillance and disciplinary action against negligent officials. Shanmugasundaram has also written a detailed letter to the WRD secretary regarding this issue.
Athikadavu-Avinashi Project Agitation Committee coordinator M Velusamy said, “The WRD must take measures, through the police, to ensure the security of the project’s entire assets. Scrap shops that accept project equipment must be monitored, and strict action must be taken against them.”
A senior WRD official said, “The scheme lifts 1.5 tmc of surplus from the Bhavani River, drawing from just downstream of the Kalingarayan Anicut. Due to recent rains, surplus water is currently flowing from the Bhavani River into the Cauvery River. Therefore, water is currently being supplied to the ponds. Water distribution relies on Israeli-made automatic OMS and SCADA technology, worth Rs 2-3 lakh, installed in all ponds. This allows engineers to monitor water flow, pressure, and tank levels in real-time.”
The official said, “The operation and maintenance of the project face significant challenges due to frequent pipeline damage and blockages caused by road widening and utility works carried out by other government entities. Additionally, the OMS units experience severe security issues due to their easy public accessibility, making them highly susceptible to theft, damaged locks, and vandalism. Miscreants and members of the public frequently tamper with these OMS boxes to engage in unauthorised operations, often in an attempt to manipulate or increase the water discharge into specific ponds. This tampering, along with the frequent theft of essential spares, not only disrupts the carefully balanced pressure of the pipeline network but also risks severe structural damage to the waterbodies. Therefore, officials are issuing strict warnings of police action and potential permanent supply closures for repeated offences.”
Another official said, “Of the 1,045 waterbodies, around 60 fall under the jurisdiction of one assistant engineer, who cannot inspect them all every day. But they cover as many waterbodies as possible. The public also should act responsibly in this matter.”