Besides this, a large number of farmers accompanied by their family members staged a demonstration at the Erode Collectorate demanding the state government to drop the concrete lining project.

Instead of concrete lining, the farmers sought for desilting of the canal, strengthening of bunds and removing encroachments to ensure that water reaches the tail end areas of the canal. Farmers contended that concrete lining would destroy the green cover and rich bio-diversity.

The farmers submitted a petition to Erode Collector Rajagopal Sankara demanding to cancel orders issued by the past government to take up concretisation of the canal.

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