Notices served to farmers and companies exploiting water from LBP canal

The move comes after the Madras HC in November 2023 asked Water Resources Organisation ocials to take necessary steps and ensure water is used only for farming

O€cials of the Water Resources Organisation (WRO) have begun serving notices to farmers and to companies for illegally drawing water from the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) canal for non-ayacut areas and also for commercial purposes.

The move comes after the Madras High Court had in its order on November 5, 2023, asked the WRO o€cials to take necessary steps and ensure water is used only for farming.

Keel Bhavani Ayacut Nila Urimaiyalargal Sangam had ”led a writ petition seeking direction to o€cials to take swift action to remove illegal pipelines laid across the canal, close wells and bore wells, disconnect power connection used for illegal tapping of the water either directly or indirectly from the ayacut areas to non-ayacut areas, particularly for commercial and industrial motives.

The petition said the canal is only to facilitate agricultural activities in Erode, Tiruppur and Karur districts covering 2.07 lakh acres, whereas, educational institutions, mineral water companies, cool drink manufacturers, chemical industries, textile units, coir industries and others are exploiting the water sources by digging wells or bore wells near the canal and tapping the water.

Farmers said a Government Order (No. 2259) issued by the Public Works Department dated November 3, 1967 said pumping water from wells, located within 50 metres of the canal, is allowed only during the oš-season and not during the irrigation season, and that water should be supplied only to areas within the ayacut areas. “But many had purchased land in non-ayacut areas, dug wells in ayacut areas, and laid pipelines and transferred water,” said association secretary K.V. Ponnaiyan.

With the water level in Bhavanisagar dropping to less than 46 feet against the full reservoir of 105 feet, and farmers demanding implementation of the court order, WRO o€cials began inspecting wells, bore wells, companies, all located near the canal. A senior engineer told The Hindu that initially power supply to 10 motors was disconnected with the help of Tangedco, while notices were being served to farmers and companies seeking explanation within 15 days. “After receiving the response, further action will be taken,” the engineer said.

With Yercaud witnessing an increase in tourist footfall in view of summer holidays, the rent for rooms in the hill town has skyrocketed due to heavy demand.

The tourist season in Yercaud picks up usually from April to June. However, this year they have started arriving from late March, and this has pushed up the demand for rooms and resulted in shortage too.

L. Nathan, manager of a resort in Yercaud, said that this year witnessed an increase in advance online bookings. Local taxi and auto rickshaw drivers have also blocked rooms for their customers. Hence, most of the hotels and cottages in Yercaud town are occupied. The rent for single bedroom had doubled.

A. Kannan, a tourist from Chennai, said the weather was not as good as he expected. Visitors go to the tourism spots in the mornings and evenings, and stay in the room in the afternoon.

Every restaurant in the town is crowded in the evenings and the price of food is also high, he said.

E. LAKSHMI NARAYANAN Tourists at the Anna Park in Yercaud Hills in Salem on Sunday.

FILE PHOTO Pipelines that were used to draw water illegally were removed from the Bhavanisagar dam in Erode recently.