COIMBATORE: Earlier it was fund crunch, and now it's the monsoon that is going to scuttle the plans to desilt the Achankulam Lake. The Water Resource Organization (WRO) of the Public Works Department (PWD) replied to a petitioner that the onset of monsoon would mean that the lake would not be desilted.
The WRO said that owing to copious rains, the catchments spread over 396 acres in the Noyyal river sub-division are underwater, resulting in the further delay of the desilting works.
Following the residents especially farmers' prolonged demand, the PWD conducted a review meeting to estimate the expenses and make preparations for desilting the lake. Though the Public Works Department had finished the review and submitted the report to the Collector on September 12, 2017, the work was delayed by the district administration citing fund deficiency.
To protest against the delay, the farmers returned Rs 6,000 provided to them under the Prime Minister - KISAN scheme to the district administration asking them to use the fund for the desilting process.
In July, the desilting work ultimately started. However, now the PWD said that the process was halted due to inflow of rainwater into the lake. "When the desilting work started recently, we urged the officials to close the sluices in the lake to prevent discharge of sewage water in the Noyyal River. However, they did not close them. As a result, the work was halted within a few days due to inflow of water," said K Velusami, a farmer of Kaniyur.
The officials did not make enough efforts to ensure the work continued. If the desilting work was completed as planned, the water issue would have solved permanently. However, citing the reason, they stopped the work, the farmer added.
An official from the PWD said that the work was stopped only due to more inflow of water into the lake. "The desilting work would be resumed after its catchments become dry."