Alleging scam by officials, ryots insist on desilting lake

It is said that the sprawling 60-acre Pappankulam lake at Navalurkuttapattu in Manikandam union was abandoned without being desilted. The lake serves as the key source for irrigation of around 300 acres of land in and around Manikandam union

Stating that no work was carried out in the lake, farmers said that a sign board erected by officials near the lake informed that the particular lake was desilted in three phases and a fund of a few lakhs of rupees have been spent. However, till date no work was taken up in the waterbody. Not even the banks of the water body were strengthened or other maintenance work were taken up, said farmers.

In this backdrop, on Monday, a group of farmers belonging to Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam entered the waterbody and staged a protest demanding to initiate action against those officials who were behind the siphoning of funds sanctioned for the desilting work. They also held black flags in support of their protest.

The farmers also threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike.

On information, the Public Works Department Assistant Executive Engineer Sivakumar, Manikandam union commissioner Marudaidurai and police rushed to the spot and held talks with the agitating farmers.

Based on the assurance of the officials that the particular waterbody would be desilted with the funds allotted in the coming fiscal year, the farmers dispersed from the spot.