Farmers under the aegis of Paambaru Anai Neer Paadhukaagpu Iyakkam staged a massive road block agitation at Uthangarai-Thiruvannamalai junction in Uthangarai demanding diversion of excess water from KRP dam into Paambaru dam via Barur.
Farmers demanded that the run-off water from Krishnagiri reservoir be diverted into Penukondapuram Lake, which would flow into Paambaru dam.
But, as of date, run-off is turned into River Thenpennai much to the dismay of the farmers of Uthangarai region. The farmers here have been demanding that the run-off from Krishnagiri reservoir be diverted to Barur Lake and from there to Penukondapuram Lake, which would eventually flow into Paambaru dam.
Between the lakes and dam, over 25,000 acres are said to be under direct and indirect irrigation from the water. Once the Paambaru dam is filled, the water that flows through the irrigation channels brings under its watershed 4000 acres directly, say farmers here.
The water that flows via Barur into Paambaru is said to benefit watershed area in both Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri. This would include Moondampattu, Kethunayakanpatty, Paasanur, Paavakkal areas in Krishgiri and Mullaivanam in Harur in Dharmapuri.
It has been over 8 years since the last time Paambaru dam was filled to the brim. The farmers now, allege official apathy for not diverting run-off water from Krishnagiri reservoir even on occasions when the water exceeds the carrying capacity of KRP dam, like it has been recently.
“The last time Paambaru dam was filled to the brim was before 2005, and ever since over 4,000 acres that fall into the watershed area has fallen fallow. The run-off diverted to river Thenpennai as it is done now, is let off into the sea” says Soundarajan, a farmer.
The watershed also forms a critical drinking water source for the villages falling along the channels, the protesters said.
According to farmers, PWD had written off the suggestions for diversion of run-off from KRP dam into Penukondapuram Lake claiming that channels were unfit to carry water.
The protetors blocked the Salem-Uthangarai-Thiruvannamalai junction for over an hour. Over 700 farmers, a significant numbers being women, were courted arrest.
