Single crop area farmers seek more water for Melur region
Collector says that she has already drawn the attention of the government to release additional water and there is also a need to store adequate water for drinking purpose to face summer
Farmers of single crop area in Melur region sought additional release of water for irrigation to save the standing crop since the release of water has been ordered only till March 18.
While Collector M.S. Sangeetha told the farmers at the monthly farmers’ grievances redressal meeting that water would be released for two more turns (20 days), the farmers sought one more turn of water to save the standing crop.
A few farmers raised the issue and wanted an assurance from the Collector about the additional release of water.
The Collector said that she had already drawn the attention of the Government for the release of additional water. “Since, it has been predicted that the summer would be very harsh, we need to store adequate water for drinking purpose also,” she said.
However, P. Ravi, secretary of Periyar Single Crop Irrigation Farmers’ Welfare Association, said that increased reservation of water in Periyar credit for drinking water purpose would render the tailend region of the single crop area arid without adequate water for irrigation.
He said that after drawing water from Periyar credit from Vaigai dam for Madurai city and AndipattiSedapatti combined drinking water projects, the Government had drawn water for Cumbum for drinking water.
Now, another 100 cusecs of water would be drawn directly from Periyar dam for new drinking water project which makes that 8.5 TMC of the 22 TMC average yield from Periyar dam would go for drinking water purpose alone.
“In this circumstance, recently another drinking water project with Periyar credit from Vaigai dam has been proposed for Dindigul district. If this water is also drawn from Periyar credit, Melur will become uncultivable areas. Hence, water for this project should be shared equally between Periyar and Vaigai credits,” he said.
The farmers demanded that more paddy direct purchase centres should be opened in the district as harvest is being across the district.
The Collector said that the difficulties in finding manpower to run the DPCs had been solved by bringing workers from Tiruchi.
Farmer Tirupathi of Kulamangalam complained that farmers were being fleeced ₹ 60 per bag by those in the DPC. The Collector promised stringent action against such persons.
He sought to put out notice boards in DPCs that outsiders should not be allowed to man the DPCs and that money is not collected from farmers to prevent irregularities. The farmers came up with several complaints of lack of maintenance work of supply channels and failure to remove encroachments.
Joint Director of Agriculture Subburaj said that 35,999 ha of paddy, 32,343 ha of millets, 7,344 ha of pulses, 2,550 ha of oil seeds and 682 ha of cotton had been cultivated in the district, which recorded lesser rainfall since January 2024, he said. done