TIRUPPUR: Farmers benefiting from the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project (PAP) are expecting a permanent allocation of funds like in delta districts for dredging of the PAP irrigation canals. Usually, water would be released to the second zone of PAP on August 15, from Thirumoorthy Dam. However, this has not happened as no funds were allocated for dredging the canals.
For over a month, requests have been made to the state government on behalf of the project committee to allocate funds for dredging work. However, due to the delay, the project committee has announced a sit-in protest in Tiruppur starting from August 31, urging the immediate allocation of Rs 14.98 crore towards the work.
Against this backdrop, speaking in the Assembly on Friday, Water Resources Minister N Anand announced that funds would be allocated immediately and that work would commence soon. Although this announcement brought some relief to farmers, they have urged the government to expedite the issuance of the GO without any delay and to make the fund allocation permanent.
Medical K Paramasivam, chairman of the project committee, said, "Every year, we have to struggle to secure funds from the government to dredge the canals. If the government had allocated funds at the right time this year, water could have been opened on August 15. Moreover, water level in the dam is currently low, due to low rain. It is essential to dredge the canals in order to distribute the available water to everyone."
"Earlier, funds were allocated under the Kudimaramathu scheme during the previous AIADMK regime. That system was abandoned during the DMK's tenure. However, the DMK allocated Rs 10 crore for these tasks last year. Our request is that the fund allocation be made permanent. The state government should allocate funds every year to dredge the canals of PAP, without demands, just as it allocates to the delta districts," he added.
"Since the government has now announced the allocation of funds in the Assembly on Friday, we plan to meet the Tiruppur collector on Saturday,' he added.
S Paramasivam, Tiruppur district president of the Tamil Nadu Coconut Farmers' Association, said, "Earlier, water was released for the second zone in August 2024. However, this time, the release of water is being delayed. The government should soon issue a GO for dredging the canals. Water is essential to save the coconut trees from drought in the second zone."
P Velusamy, president of PAP Vellakoil Branch Canal Water Conservation Movement, "It is already too late. The government must commence the dredging works without any further delay."
Collector Manish Narnaware, on Friday, during a meeting with farmers, said, "The GO regarding this will be issued in a day or two."
Under PAP, in Tiruppur and Coimbatore districts, 3,77,152 acres of agricultural land are irrigated through the Thirumurthy Dam (Palar Basin).
