TIRUPPUR: The Water Resources Department (WRD) has recommended that the district administration include presidents of water users’ associations (WUA) in the joint monitoring committee (JMC) to prevent water theft in the PAP canal.
A Mahendran, executive engineer of WRD for PAP, in his letter to the District Collector, said, “Joint monitoring committees have been formed under the leadership of revenue divisional officers (RDO) to prevent water theft in the main canal and branch canals of the Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP).
In Tiruppur district, there are committees headed by Udumalaipet, Dharapuram and Tiruppur RDOs. The JMC comprises the Revenue, Water Resources, TNEB and Police departments. The officials patrol the canals and take action against water theft. Farmers continue to insist that water users’ association presidents should be included in committees. Therefore, it is recommended that the presidents of the water users’ associations be included in monitoring committees.”
In Tiruppur district alone, there are 9 distribution committees and 137 water users’ associations under the project committee.
Farmers have welcomed this development.
P Velusamy, president of PAP Vellakoil Branch Canal Water Conservation Movement, said, “We continue to fight against water theft and requested the district administration and the water resources department to include us in the JMC.
This is our long-standing request. The WRD has sent its recommendation to the district collector in this regard.” He added that the administration should issue an order in this regard as soon as possible.