TIRUPPUR: A section of farmers in Iduvai claim they have been waiting for more than three decades to get compensation for land acquired for the PAP branch canal. As part of the branch canal extension project of the PAP canal, a canal was extended from Chinnakalipalayam to Iduvai and Veerapandi villages 30 years ago. Several acres of land were acquired from a number of farmers, but compensation has allegedly not been paid to them yet.
Speaking to TNIE, K Duraisamy a farmer said, “In the early 1980s, PWD officials sought farmland in Iduvai for extending the PAP branch canal. We accepted the project as the water would benefit over 100 acres of land in Iduvai and Veerapandi villages. Around 70 cents of my land was acquired and officials promised compensation. When the project was completed in 1984, I sought compensation and petitioned the Coimbatore collector. But no compensation was given. Later, Tiruppur district was carved out of Coimbatore district, which hampered the process.” Iduvai Panchayat president K Ganesh said, “Many farmers who gave 10-20 cents of land to the PAP canal, submitted petitions to the then Coimbatore collector in the 1980s. But, they didn’t get a proper response. They almost forgot and began to concentrate on other work. So, we have to find out the details of the farmers who have given the land for the PAP canal.”
An official from Tiruppur district administration said, “Revenue Divisional Office (Tiruppur) received petitions from 25 farmers who had offered their farmland to a branch of PAP canal in the 1980s. But, we believe there are more such farmers. Currently, we have formed a team of officials from the revenue and PWD department who will be surveying the PAP canal in these locations and will also verify the records of farmers. We will be submitting the report to the district collector for compensation. Later, it will be sent to the finance department for approval and based on the land value and other factors, compensation will be given.”