VELLORE/RANIPET: In the wake of the monsoon bringing copious rains this year, the clamour for construction of check dams and interlinking of rivers has been growing louder in order to harvest the rain water and augment irrigation facilities in northern Tamil Nadu.
Farmers have been pleading for a long time to raise a check dam at Palleri village, 2 km down the Ponnai anaicut, across Ponnai river, at Walaja Taluk in Ranipet district. Despite promises being made by those in power, nothing has materialised so far.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami's announcement in this regard in August this year at Vellore, where he chaired a review meeting, raised the hopes of farmers. Yet, they want him to take steps to set in motion the process by allocating funds without further delay.
“We have pinned a lot of hopes on the recent announcement made by the Chief Minister. Now, he has to set in motion the work for the construction of the check dam at Palleri. It will help irrigate 2000 acres of agricultural land in the surrounding villages and replenish ground water level in about 10,000 acres,” said 'Palleri' K Raja, district president of Thamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam.
On Friday, the Ponnai anaicut began to brim thanks to copious flow down the stream thanks to incessant showers. Yet, much of the water cannot be stored for want of any structure down the stream. It is an indicator of the dire need for a check dam at Palleri, he noted.
The promises made on raising check dams across the Palar River are also yet to take shape.
If check dams can be constructed, they will help store water during the monsoon season. Palar has started to witness water flow down the stream thanks to the frequent showers at certain places in recent days.
Interlinking rivers
Another long pending demand of the farmers in northern parts of the state is interlinking of rivers, particularly Cauvery-Thenpennai-Palar. If it is implemented, it will help save Vellore region from the danger of getting desertified in the future.
Pointing out the keen interest Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has been showing in irrigation projects, 'Palar' AC Venkatesan, general secretary of the Coordination Committee of Tamil Nadu All Farmers Associations, urged him to initiate steps for the interlinking of rivers in northern Tamil Nadu.
“The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has played a key role in implementing the Avinashi-Athikadavu project and Sarabanga Lift Irrigation project. These two projects fall in western Tamil Nadu. And he has now announced interlinking of Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar, aimed at improving irrigation in southern Tamil Nadu. Similarly, he should take appropriate action for interlinking of Cauvery-Thenpennai-Palar so that northern Tamil Nadu can be saved from desertification in the future,” Venkatesan urged.
Since Karnataka has been blocking water flowing down the stream on Thenpennai, he pointed out that interlinking of Cauvery with Thenpennai and Palar river will be more effective than interlinking of Thenpennai and Palar rivers.
Farmer leaders noted that if the irrigation and river interlinking projects are taken up by the government without delay, it will be advantageous for the ruling party in the Assembly polls due in April.