Farmers in the tail-end areas of Periyar Main Canal system in the Melur region are sceptic about receiving water released from the Vaigai dam more than a week back.
While the district administration said that the water will reach the tail-end areas once the tanks connected to the canal ahead of their regions got filled up, the Melur farmers say similar assurances were given to them in the previous years but never fulfilled.
S. Kannan from Ambalakaranpatti says that the canal in their area is dry for more than four years now. “Every time we urge the administration to give priority to the tail-end regions, but we are always neglected,” he says. “I have around 10 acres of land. Since I am not getting water from the Periyar canal, I have to rely on the well in my farm which has also dried up,” he adds.
Other farmers say that water usually reaches up to Thaniyamangalam but not villages such as Uranganpatti, Alampatti, Kurichipatti, Panangadi and those in the southern branches of the canal such as Tiruvadavur.
N. Palanichamy, president, Tamil Nadu Sugarcane Growers’ Association, says that while 84,000 acres of single-crop area in Melur block is dependent on Periyar canal water, around 50,000 acres remain fallow for want of water. “Tail-end areas are the worst affected,” he says.
Mr. Palanichamy blames the district administration for providing water first to Kallandiri and Othakadai regions which do not need water now. “They are double-crop regions presently harvesting their first crop for which there is no need of water. Instead, tail-end single crop areas planning to begin farming should have been given priority,” he says.
“No need to worry”
When contacted, Collector L Subramanian said that 1,300 cusecs of water was being released from Vaigai dam and it was just a matter of time for tail-end areas to get water. “The system comprises of a network of tanks and they need to be filled before providing water to tail-end areas,” he said.
Stating that water being released to different areas was being monitored closely, Mr. Subramanian assured that farmers in tail-end areas need not worry as adequate water was available for them.
“Farmers in Kallandiri and Othakadai regions which do not need water now get it”
