TIRUPPUR: Farmers from Kangeyam and Vellakovil plan to besiege the Pollachi-based office of the Superintendent Engineer (SE) of the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project (PAP) on June 24, demanding adequate water supply to the tail-end areas and equitable sharing.
However, exposing a rift among PAP farmers, a complaint has been filed with the police and Water Resources Department (WRD) on behalf of the PAP planning committee, stating that this protest will cause law and order issues and the protest should not be allowed.
Under the PAP scheme, 4.25 lakh acres of agricultural land in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts are getting irrigation. Through the Thrumurthy Dam alone, about 3.77 lakh acres are irrigated and these are divided into four zones with 95,000 acres per zone.
Water is currently being supplied to the third zone.
Farmers from Kangeyam and Vellakovil are planning to besiege the PAP's SE office in Pollachi in Coimbatore district on June 24, demanding fair sharing of the PAP water.
P Velusamy, the President of PAP Vellakoil Branch Canal Water Conservation Movement, said, "As per the norm there should be balanced sharing of irrigation water of the PAP system. But this is completely absent as water is being drawn in excess from the main canal for supply to many branch and distribution canals. And, water theft is very rampant. We, the farmers of the tail-end, are directly affected by this."
"In all 12,000 acres depend on the Vellakovil branch canal. Of this, 800 acres did not receive water for irrigation even on Saturday. We will carry out this protest for these reasons. We are mobilising farmers from village to village," he added.
The Planning Committee, an elected body, of the PAP (Thirumurthy dam) has opposed this protest, faering law and order issues among farmers and collapse of the PAP system.
Speaking to TNIE, Medical K Paramasivam, the Chairman of the Planning Committee, said, "Vellakovil branch canal is part of the expansion of the PAP. As per the PAP norms, one cusecs of water per second should be provided for 120 acres. About 100 cusecs of water should be provided for 12,000 acres for the Vellakovil branch canal. But they are provided with up to 130 cusecs of water. Sometimes we block the canals of Pongalur and Palladam to supply water to these areas. In addition, there is no agriculture in the entire 12,000 acres there. Agriculture is carried out on only about 5000 acres. They should share the water equally."
"This protest is likely to cause law and order problems among PAP farmers. Therefore, this protest is unacceptable. We have written to the Water Resources Department and the police asking them not to allow the protest," he added.
Further, he said, "There are 134 Water Users' Association (WUA) Presidents and nine Distribution Committee Chairmen in the PAP. Thus, all decisions are made based on the norms and based on the majority opinion."
"I was the one who filed the case and obtained a court order to prevent water theft in PAP. But an appeal is currently pending in that regard. So there is an obstacle in preventing water theft," the Chairman added.
When TNIE tried to contact Karthikeyan, Superintendent Engineer of PAP, in this regard, he did not accept the call.
Shristi Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police of Pollachi, said, "I have not received any letters from Kangeyam and Vellakovil farmers seeking permission for the protest so far."