TIRUCHY: Delta farmers who claimed that the officials concentrate only on the A and B canals for desilting and appealed to the officials to ensure proper desilting works in the C and D channels too, as the summer cultivation has commenced in full swing across the Delta region.
The Delta farmers said that a fund of Rs 200 crore has been sanctioned for the desilt works across the region for the current year, and the water resources department has commenced the works. However, they concentrate only on the A and B canals and neglect the C and D canals, which are mostly branch canals of the A and B.
They said that the government has already released a Government Order to ensure the desilting works in the C and D canals, which would help water reach the villages, particularly in the tail-end areas in the region.
The officials cite the reason for the delay in commencement of desilt works in the C and D canals as the fact that the Model Code of Conduct in place, and they need to obtain special permission, as the fact which was possible only after the MCC was lifted. But we have already commenced the summer crop cultivation as the samba procurement is almost over,” said Swamimalai Sundara Vimalnathan, Secretary, Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Protection Association.
Vimalnathan said that the Election Commission has already relaxed certain election norms, and the desilting works are a basic need for the farmers, which would ensure water for irrigation.
“The response we get from the officials is not acceptable as it is their responsibility to get the order well in advance for the benefit of the farmers,” he said further.
He also said that the summer cultivation is in full swing, but the officials have yet to survey the desilting works in the C and D canals. He said that the farmers from the tail end need water as they have started to replace nurseries, and so the officials should immediately commence the works, he appealed.
Meanwhile, P Viswanathan, president of Tamil Nadu River and Ayagutdars Association, said that the officials should ensure the removal of encroachments all along the canals across the region for the smooth flow of water till the tail-end region. He claimed that several branch canals in the region are covered either with vegetation or by encroachments, and it is time that the officials clear them all, Viswanathan said.
While Aiylai Siva Suriyan, Tiruchy District Secretary, Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, said that the groundwater level in the region has already been depleting, and the government should initiate steps to release water, but before that, the canals should be desilted for proper flow of water till the tail-end region.