Over 300 farmers from Kangayam and Vellakoil areas staged a sit-in protest at the Parambikulam Aliyar Project office in Pollachi, demanding quick completion of ongoing Contour Canal repairs to release water for irrigation.
Coimbatore: Farmers from Kangayam and Vellakoil areas staged a protest at the Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP) office in Pollachi on Thursday, demanding swift completion of the ongoing repair works in the Contour Canal and immediate release of water for irrigation.
The Contour Canal plays a crucial role in transporting water from the Solayar and Parambikulam reservoirs in the Western Ghats to the Thirumoorthy Dam. This water is then used to irrigate about 4 lakh acres of agricultural lands in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts.
Due to recent rains in the Western Ghats region, the dams are full, and the inflow has increased. However, the ongoing repair works in the Contour Canal have created complications in transporting water to the Thirumoorthy Dam, resulting in a delay in releasing water for irrigation.
More than 300 farmers from areas under the Parambikulam Aliyar Project, including Kangayam and Vellakoil, gathered at the PAP office in Pollachi. They staged a sit-in protest, demanding immediate action to complete the canal repairs and release water for irrigation.
Officials from the PAP held multiple rounds of talks with the protesting farmers. They assured that the repair works would be completed by August 5th, and water would be released to the Thirumoorthy Dam through the Contour Canal. They further promised that steps would be taken to release water for irrigation after August 15th.
However, the farmers, unsatisfied with the officials' assurances, continued their siege protest at the office. They insisted on a more immediate solution to their water needs, given the favorable conditions in the reservoirs.
The protest highlights the critical importance of timely maintenance of irrigation infrastructure and the urgent need for water in the agricultural areas of Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts. As negotiations continue, farmers remain firm in their demand for quicker action to ensure water availability for the upcoming cultivation season.
The Contour Canal plays a crucial role in transporting water from the Solayar and Parambikulam reservoirs in the Western Ghats to the Thirumoorthy Dam. This water is then used to irrigate about 4 lakh acres of agricultural lands in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts.
Due to recent rains in the Western Ghats region, the dams are full, and the inflow has increased. However, the ongoing repair works in the Contour Canal have created complications in transporting water to the Thirumoorthy Dam, resulting in a delay in releasing water for irrigation.
More than 300 farmers from areas under the Parambikulam Aliyar Project, including Kangayam and Vellakoil, gathered at the PAP office in Pollachi. They staged a sit-in protest, demanding immediate action to complete the canal repairs and release water for irrigation.
Officials from the PAP held multiple rounds of talks with the protesting farmers. They assured that the repair works would be completed by August 5th, and water would be released to the Thirumoorthy Dam through the Contour Canal. They further promised that steps would be taken to release water for irrigation after August 15th.
However, the farmers, unsatisfied with the officials' assurances, continued their siege protest at the office. They insisted on a more immediate solution to their water needs, given the favorable conditions in the reservoirs.
The protest highlights the critical importance of timely maintenance of irrigation infrastructure and the urgent need for water in the agricultural areas of Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts. As negotiations continue, farmers remain firm in their demand for quicker action to ensure water availability for the upcoming cultivation season.