All is well if desilt works are done as per RSR: Tamil Nadu Delta farmers
Wondered by the irrigation system established by the King Karikala Chola during the second century, the British followed the same process and recorded the entire system in the Resurvey Settlement Registry, which is still being followed. But the farmers who are eagerly awaiting water from Mettur have complained that the desilting works are being done without consultation, as the new scheme Uzhavarai Thedi Velanmai -- Uzhavar Nala Thurai, suggests
TIRUCHY: While the newly launched Uzhavarai Thedi Velanmai -- Uzhavar Nala Thurai scheme has been lauded for its main aspect of approaching the farmers at their doorsteps with the support system, the farmers across the region are still not satisfied.
The Delta farmers, who have been readying themselves to welcome water from Mettur, have complained that they were not approached properly before the desilting works commenced.
They also charged that the desilt works have been at a snail’s pace, and the Resurvey Settlement Registry (RSR) is not followed, which would ensure free flow of water till the tail end.
According to historians, after witnessing the wondrous irrigation system established by the King Karikala Chola during the second century, the British followed the same process and recorded the entire system in the Resurvey Settlement Registry (RSR), which is now followed in the state. To recall, the British not only followed the same irrigation system but also developed it based on the requirement. Accordingly, the lands were categorised as nanjai (irrigated land) and punjai (rain-fed land) and divided the poramboke for the utility.
Subsequently, they allotted separate places as cattle grazing poramboke, cart lane poramboke and waterbody poramboke, which have been designed to carry water for irrigation and the irrigation channels were categorised from A to G.
Now, the waterbodies have been undergoing desilting programmes each year before the monsoon. Thus, the special desilting of as many as 37 rivers and branch rivers and the canals to a distance of 29,000 km has also been covered by the programme.
Though the desilting works have been going on, the Delta farmers have expressed dissatisfaction about the pace of the works in the region. They have demanded that the ministers and officials from the departments concerned pay frequent visits and speed up the works, as the release of water from Mettur is on the customary date of June 12.
“We have been insisting on commencing the desilt works from February, but the government delayed two months, and the works have not been done within a shorter time frame now. Quick work will help in readying the waterbodies well ahead of the water release. At the current pace, we doubt that the works may be completed on time,” said Swamimalai Sundara Vimalnathan, Secretary, Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Protection Association.
Vimalnathan also suggested that the desilt works should be carried out in such a way that the head of the A channels should be 20 metres wide, and gradually narrowing down so that the water will reach the tail-end of all channels without interruptions.
“But now, against the customary measurement, the desilt work has been undertaken at a width of 3 metres in every channel irrespective of the prominence of the channels. The works should be carried out based on the Maximum Supply Level (MSL) and Normal Supply Level (NSL), which would avoid breaches and then the water logging in times of flooding,” he said.
He pointed out that the 3-metre width is applicable only for D and E channels only, but the authorities follow the same for all channels.
“If proper desilting works were carried out in the A category channels, they can withstand at least five years, and so the government can concentrate on the other channels in the following years. But it has become a custom to desilt the same channels every year, and thus there will be a larger number of other category channels left abandoned resulting in no flow of water till the tail end region,” Vimalnathan said.
Meanwhile, S Sridharan, Special Secretary, Water Resources Department, who visited Nagapattinam a couple of days back and inspected the ongoing desilt programmes said that the officials are instructed to complete the project on time.
He also interacted with the farmers and got their suggestions, and asked the officials to ensure the water reaches the tail-end part of the Delta.
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