Water will flow in Lower Bhavani Project canal from Aug 15: Minister
ERODE: Chief Minister MK Stalin is particular about releasing water into the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) canal from Bhavanisagar dam for irrigation on the scheduled date of August 15, Housing and Urban Development Minister S Muthusamy said on Wednesday. Farmers in the area have been staging protests expressing fear that water release would be delayed in view of the modernisation works currently underway.
Addressing media persons after inspecting the renovation work in Nambiyur, Muthusamy said, “Modernisation work is going on at many places in the LBP canal. The work is scheduled to be completed by August 10. The chief minister is very concerned that water should be released for irrigation at the right time for the farmers, and he has been asking us daily about the status of the work. We have instructed officials and the contractor to complete the work by August 10. After that, the canal would be cleaned and kept ready for water release on August 15.”
Explaining the progress in the work, Muthusamy said, “Work has been completed in most places, and in only three places it is going on. The contractor has promised to complete the work within the due date. We are taking all steps to release water on the scheduled date.” The canal starts from the dam in Erode and travels through Tiruppur district. till Karur, irrigating 2.07 lakh acres of farmlands. August 15 is the traditional date of water release for irrigation. On May 1, after a long legal battle with a section of farmers opposing it saying the work affect groundwater recharge and HC order, the water resources department began modernizing the canal at a cost of Rs 709 crore.