Usilampatti farmers demand steady release of water to 58-canal scheme

After respective years, h2o has been released into 58-canal scheme, a captious irrigation web benefitting 58 villages successful the Usilampatti region, bringing short-term alleviation to farmers.

Yet, contempt the long-awaited travel and repeated promises by politicians from AIADMK, DMK and different parties during each Assembly election, cultivation lands successful Usilampatti stay dry.

The 58-canal strategy comprises 3 canals, including aqueducts, which stretches for 28 km. At the zero constituent successful Uthappanaickanur, Usilampatti taluk, the main canal branches into two, distributing h2o to each 35 chain-linked tanks. However, contempt the caller merchandise from the Vaigai dam, astir of these waterbodies stay dry, leaving farmers without much-needed irrigation.

The 58-canal strategy was envisaged to payment astir 2,500 acres of cultivation onshore with surplus h2o released from Vaigai dam.

According to officials of the Agriculture Department, villages located nether Usilampatti artifact on the canal—such arsenic Uthappanaickanur, Nadupatti, Kalluthu, Keeripatti and Thimmanatham—primarily cultivate paddy. In addition, farmers successful the Usilampatti portion rise horticultural crops, peculiarly vegetables, which are mostly babelike connected h2o from the 58-canal scheme.

Constructed successful 1996 astatine a outgo of ₹33 crore, 58-canal strategy was intended to supply irrigation to the Usilampatti portion and adjoining villages by transfering h2o from Vaigai stream basin to Gundar stream basin.. However, Tamil Selvan, Vice-President of the Usilampatti Taluk 58 Villages Irrigation Farmers’ Association, says the canal has received h2o lone a fewer times successful astir 3 decades.

According to Mr. Tamil Selvan, thousands of cultivators successful the portion person migrated to different States successful hunt of enactment due to the fact that of the uncertainty successful irrigation. He added that respective farmers successful Usilampatti, who traditionally depended connected stream flows and expected regular h2o proviso from 58-canal scheme, person present shifted to drip-irrigation systems and good irrigation.

“Though h2o was released successful October this year, astir tanks stay bony adust due to the fact that lone 150 cusecs was discharged from Vaigai dam. Therefore, travel reduces gradually and fails to scope the last stretches,” helium said.

He further emphasises, “If we bash not person a accordant and capable proviso of h2o to the 58-canal scheme, we volition person nary prime but to refrain from participating successful the upcoming Assembly predetermination successful 2026.”

O. Sivaprakasam, caput of the Usilampatti Taluk 58 Villages Irrigation Farmers’ Association, said the existing Government Order of 58-canal strategy is ‘impractical,’ arsenic it mandates that h2o beryllium released lone erstwhile the Vaigai dam reaches 68 feet and the accepted ayacuts are served by Periyar and Vaigai dams.

“Such levels are seldom achieved. Expecting the canal to payment farmers nether this information is unrealistic,” helium said.

He added that the canal receives lone surplus floodwater, aft allocations are made to each different irrigation systems, leaving the 58 villages babelike connected an uncertain and irregular supply.

“This attack defeats the intent for which the canal was built,” Mr. Sivaprakasam said.

He noted that portion the 58-canal strategy task is officially recorded arsenic having been constructed astatine a outgo of ₹33 crore, the existent expenses were apt overmuch higher. “What is the intent of gathering a canal astatine specified a precocious outgo if it remains underutilised and provides nary existent payment to the Usilampatti region?” helium questioned.

Mr. Sivaprakasam stated that earlier each Assembly election, farmers consistently request the regularisation of h2o proviso done 58-canal scheme, and candidates often run with promises to code this issue. “However, contempt these promises, nary authorities has provided a semipermanent solution,” helium says.

He besides said that during a roadshow held by AIADMK wide caput Edappadi K. Palaniswami successful Usilampatti successful September, farmers had pressed their long-pending demands regarding 58-canal scheme, and Mr. Palaniswami assured that it would beryllium resolved.

To amended h2o travel to the Usilampatti region, Mr. Tamil Selvan urged the authorities to little the h2o merchandise level for the canal from 68 feet to 60 feet. “Only past volition the canal person h2o regularly. Otherwise, cultivation conditions volition proceed to worsen, and residents whitethorn beryllium forced to permission the area,” helium stated.

P. Manikandan, president of the Madurai District Wet and Dry Land Farmers’ Association, said astir 25,000 acres of cultivation onshore successful and astir Madurai person been converted into residential plots implicit the years.

“Given these changes, officials indispensable undertake a caller resurvey of the region, reassess the information of existing waterbodies, and merchandise h2o based connected the contiguous crushed condition. Only past tin the surplus h2o diverted to 58-canal strategy efficaciously scope the intended areas and genuinely payment farmers,” helium said.

When asked astir the reduced discharge of 150 cusecs from the Vaigai dam into 58-canal scheme, an authoritative from the Water Resources Department (WRD) said the canal’s alignment posed challenges.

“This 28-km-long canal mostly runs on the foothills, and hence, periodic attraction is difficult. Several bunds person been damaged, and due to the fact that of this, we are incapable to merchandise the required 316 cusecs,” the authoritative said.

He added that repair works of the bunds are presently nether mode but impact aggregate procedures and clearances. “Once the damaged bunds are restored, we expect to merchandise the required water. From adjacent year, we anticipation to discharge 316 cusecs, ensuring that each 35 tanks successful the Usilampatti portion person water,” helium said.

When asked astir the request to little the sluice located astatine 67 feet successful Vaigai dam done which h2o is released to the 58-canal strategy to 60 feet, the authoritative said, “Usilampatti is simply a precocious terrain region, and the 67-feet level was fixed based connected this topography to guarantee capable travel into 58-canal scheme. Lowering the level is analyzable arsenic the strategy has been designed lone arsenic a flood-carrier done which lone surplus floodwater could beryllium diverted.”

When asked astir the request for a caller onshore survey, the authoritative explained that the process would beryllium extensive. “This survey would request to screen 5 districts: Madurai, Dindigul, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, and Theni. Additionally, this process comes nether the jurisdiction of the Revenue Department and requires important argumentation decisions. It is simply a analyzable and tedious process,” the authoritative stated.

He added that the caller spell of rainfall, coupled with the latest merchandise into 58-canal scheme, has helped amended groundwater levels successful parts of the region.

Farmers are hopeful that continuous attraction to the 58-canal strategy volition reconstruct the region’s irrigation system.

With predetermination to the Tamil Nadu Assembly accelerated approaching, the farmers successful this portion are apt to marque it a canvass contented and get promises from the contesting parties and their candidates. Whether the committedness would beryllium kept oregon breached would beryllium known soon, farmers added.