TIRUPPUR: The Tamil Nadu Coconut Farmers' Association staged a road blockade on the Coimbatore-Karur National Highway on Friday, urging the state government to take measures to save coconut trees affected by drought conditions resulting from the delay in releasing water to the PAP's second zone.
Coconut farmers, PAP farmers and TN Farmers Association executives participated in the protest held in Anthiyur area near Udumalaipet in Tiruppur.
S Paramasivam, district secretary of the coconut farmers' association, who led the protest, said, "Around 3.77 lakh acres of agricultural land in Tiruppur and Coimbatore districts receive water from Parambikulam-Aliyar Project (PAP). These are divided into four irrigation zones. Usually, water is released to the second zone by August 15, while the third zone receives water in January. Before this, the canals must be desilted in July."
"In this environment, despite the formation of the new government three months ago, funds have not been allocated for the necessary canal maintenance. The PAP Project Committee chairman and other leaders have travelled twice to Chennai and submitted petitions to the concerned Ministers, departmental Secretaries and senior officials, as well as the Collectors of Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts and elected representatives,' he added.
"However, due to lack of action, severe drought prevails in the second zone. Coconut trees are gripped by drought. Officials say that for the past 10 days, a non-objection certificate (NOC) from the Election Commission of India is required before the canal desilting works can be carried out and that the proposal has already been sent to the Commission for approval. The government must promptly release the previously announced fund of Rs 14 to desilt canals," he added.
The farmers, who were engaged in the protest, urged the Election Commission to immediately grant the NOC for the canal desilting works. They also urged the state government to take immediate steps and undertake the desilting works on a war footing and release water to the second zone without further delay, and the farmers further demanded that the Horticulture Department survey coconut trees that have dried up or lost their yielding capacity due to the delay in water release and provide appropriate compensation to the affected farmers.
Following the talks held by officials, the farmers called off the road blockade.
"We too are waiting for the ECI's NOC. Once that is received, a government order will be secured, tenders will be called, and the work will commence," a senior official of WRD said.
