TIRUCHY: Ariyalur residents staged a protest against establishing borewells on the Kollidam river bed under Jal Jeevan project on Wednesday.

The borewell digging works for the Jal Jeevan project had commenced on the Kollidam river bed at Thoothur village near Thirumanur in Ariyalur. However, the residents from the locality converged at the spot demanding to withdraw the borewell plan and execute the construction of the check dam across Thoothur and Vazhkkai which would facilitate water support for irrigation as well as drinking purposes.

Once the check dam construction gets over, the ground water level would also be recharged, they said. Subsequently, the residents from Thoothur, Kuruvadi, Thelur and Koman villages staged a protest against the borewells.

They also claimed that the previous government had sanctioned funds for the construction of the check dam, but the present government had dropped the plan. They asked the government to commence the check dam work immediately.

On September 2, when the officials performed bhoomi pooja for erecting the borewell, the residents resorted to a protest and as many as 63 persons were arrested.