Farmers in Pollachi are staging a continuous sit-in and hunger strike at the Monitoring Engineer's office, demanding action against water theft from Parambikulam Aliyar Project canals.
Coimbatore: Farmers from the Upparu region have intensified their protest against alleged water theft from the Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP) irrigation canals. The agitation, which began with a sit-in protest at the PAP Monitoring Engineer's office in Pollachi on Sunday evening, has now escalated to include a hunger strike.
The protest comes in the wake of recent rains that filled the Solayar, Parambikulam, Aliyar, and Thirumoorthy dams, all part of the PAP scheme. Water was subsequently released from the Thirumoorthy dam for irrigation purposes. However, farmers claim that this water is being illegally diverted from the canals.
Demonstrators are demanding immediate action to prevent water theft and ensure proper distribution to the intended agricultural areas. They are also calling for the release of water to ponds and small water bodies in the Upparu region. The protesting farmers expressed frustration over the lack of dialogue with officials since the beginning of their sit-in protest.
"The engineers and project committee heads are not taking any steps to prevent water theft," said one of the protesting farmers. "We demand that they stop this illegal diversion and ensure fair distribution of water for irrigation purposes."
As the protest continues, police security has been deployed at the Monitoring Engineer's office in Pollachi. The farmers have vowed to continue their agitation until their demands are met and concrete steps are taken to address the issue of water theft in the PAP canals.