Farmers began desilting an irrigation canal near Kattumannarkoil on Monday due to inaction of the PWD officials.
Farmers of Kattumannarkoil block have been cultivating samba crops in around 70,000 acres of land through direct sowing method. These crops have begun withering as water is not reaching the agricultural lands.
As the Radha canal that provides water to the tail-end delata region is not maintained properly, shrubs and water hyacinth started growing and it is obstructing the water flow. Adding to their woes are liquor bottles and plastic wastes thrown into it by miscreants.
Farmers lamented that though last year was drought and there was no water in the Radha canal, PWD officials didn’t desilt the waterbody.As a result the canal is occupied by shrubs and water hyacinth. Water is not reaching the tail-end delta region due to the obstructions in the non-desilted canal.
Last month water was released from Veeranam Lake into Radha canal, which is one of the irrigation canals of Veeranam lake. Radha canal which spans over 9.6 kilometers provides water to 1,600 acres of land. But waste materials and liquor bottles dumped in this canal at Puthu, Neduncheri areas are preventing free flow of water till the tail-end area. Water hyacinth also added to the woes.
In order to save the paddy crops that are withering at tail-end area, farmers began de-silting Radha canal. The strong initiative was taken up by farmers’ union leader Ranganayagi.
Ranganayagi said, “Radha canal was last de-silted in 2008. After that PWD officials did not worry about this canal. We have submitted so many petitions with the district collector and PWD officers, but they did not take any step. When announced a road roko to protest against official inaction, PWD officers held talks with us and assured us that they would carry out desiltation works soon. But nothing has been done. Water from the Veeranam lake could not reach tail-end delta areas like Vadamur, Kooduveli and Mugaiyur due to obstructions in the Radha canal.’’
