VILLUPURAM: After 15 years, it was a delight for locals to see the dry Malataaru river flow in full capacity through Thirupachanur village in Villupuram.
Malataaru means dry/dead river, a name that served well for its condition for over a decade, said residents. The drought in the past decade caused farmers to dig borewells at a depth of over 200 feet below ground to facilitate irrigation, said sources.
Major crops around the watercourse of Malataaru are casuarina and paddy, both of which requires good irrigation. So farmers had to depend on groundwater or rainfall to yield even minimum harvest.
After monsoon and cyclone downpour in the past two months, water overflowed in Thenpennai river branching out to Malataaru at Kongarakondan village. The water will now be used to irrigate about 2,000 acres of farm land in the surrounding 20 villages including Sithathur, Thalavanur, Thirupachanur Pillur, Kavanipakkam, Ravanapuram, Kuchipalayam and Poovarasankuppam, said G Kalivardhan, secretary of All Farmers Association, Villupuram.
A local of Thirupachanur and farmer C Vishwanathan (70) said, “I have five acres of land and cultivating paddy now. Because of the drought I dug bore well for 250 feet to fetch water in the past. However, the rains have blessed us with increase in groundwater level which will hold well for the next three to four years.”
The river, flowing after so many years, is a sign of prosperity that nature had blessed them, said K Krishnaiya, (60). “God showed mercy on us. It is a truly happy Pongal for us this year” said Krishnaiya.
The ground level bridge across Malataaru was inundated during rains, blocking transport between Saalamedu and Thirupachanur, for about 10 villages.
After request by the farmers and residents in the area, a new over-head bridge adjacent to the existing one was laid foundation on Wednesday, by law minister C V Shanmugam. Further, road connecting Pillur and Thirupachanur, and flood wall in the area had been sanctioned all worth ` 120 crore under the Directorate of Rural Development Agency were inaugurated, said official sources. The bridge would be constructed and inaugurated within next monsoon period, said sources.