Speed up linking PAP to Uppar canals: High Court

Disposing of a plea seeking to forebear the Superintending Engineer from digging the canal for widening purpose at Velayuthampalayam village in Dharapuram taluk, Justice D Krishnakumar said, “According to the parties, one of the proposals viz., Anamalayar and Nallar Scheme is still pending. Therefore, if the said scheme is executed, requirements of the ayacutdars and public at large will be benefitted and no water shortage for irrigation purpose.”

Based on this, the judge also directed the government to file a status report on the next hearing date.

Also, based on the submission that the government has accorded administrative sanction for the work of linking the PAP system to the Uppar canals in Dharapuram taluk at a cost of Rs 8.10 crore and the petitioner P Mayilsamy agreeing to receive the compensation amount, Justice Krishnakumar directed the authorities to settle the compensation amount to the land owners within four weeks.

Further, observing that the project has been stalled for one reason or the other for several years, the judge directed the completion of the project within two months if there were no other legal impediments. He also granted liberty to the petitioner to make a representation to the district collector for payment of compensation for the land already taken over by the Public Works Department for widening the existing canal in 1987.

The Parambikulam Aliyar Project involves the diversion and integration of eight west flowing rivers – six in the Anaimalai Hills and two in the plains for the benefit of the drought prone areas in the Coimbatore and Erode districts. The inter-State project also helps stabilise irrigation system in neighbouring Kerala.