Villagers hopeful of renovation of Periya Aruvi Reservoir to sustain farming near Melur

Madurai Villagers anticipation that renovation of Periya Aruvi Reservoir whitethorn prolong farming activities adjacent Melur.

The caller announcement made by Chief Minister that ₹2.6 crore has been sanctioned for the renovation of the Periya Aruvi Reservoir located successful Kesampatti panchayat successful Kottampatti national and besides its 26 feeder tanks has been welcomed by farmers successful the region.

The reservoir was opened successful 1962 by the past Agriculture Minister Kakkan and PWD Minister V. Ramaiah. Built to cod rainwater flowing down from Azhagarmalai, this reservoir has a retention level of 23.6 mcft. Of precocious owed to changing climatic conditions, this portion successful Melur has been seeing insufficient rainfall and the retention capableness successful the reservoir has besides dipped. 

With the northeast monsoon connected its mode out, the reservoir arsenic connected day has lone 10 feet of water. Farmers fearfulness that a scorching summertime would again marque the reservoir bony dry.

Though it is simply a rain-fed cultivation belt, Senthil from Sekkipatti  says that farmers present had been into paddy cultivation for galore years but with monsoon playing truant, galore person shifted to coconut and mango cultivation.

A. Sevugaperumal from Sekkipatti, who has 10 acres of land, says “My onshore is the archetypal to get h2o if the shutters of the reservoir opens. But for 10 years nary h2o has come. My lands are lying fallow and present I person switched implicit to farming groundnut successful immoderate information of my land.”

He blames monolithic encroachments connected the feeder canals and besides the unchecked maturation of Prosopis juliflora.

Another husbandman C. Vellakannu, who has 1 acre of land, says galore large-scale farmers successful the country person gone successful for borewell irrigation.

“Tapping this h2o root they are capable to spell successful for drip irrigation making it easier to rise coconut and mangoes,” helium points retired and adds that for farmers similar him with tiny onshore holdings, agriculture is nary longer a feasible option.

Echoing the aforesaid sentiments, C. Vellakannu, different farmer, says that the caller announcement by the Chief Minister is simply a favourable improvement due to the fact that for much than 3 years nary steps person been taken to desilt the assorted feeder canals of the reservoir.

A WRD authoritative says renovation enactment volition soon statesman connected the reservoir that has an ayacut of astir 860 acres. “Though of precocious determination is little retention of h2o owed to sparse rainfall enactment successful Azhagarmalai, the reservoir has helped summation the groundwater level successful the region. Being successful the foothills the h2o array successful these parts is besides high,” helium adds.

Upkeep of Periya Aruvi Reservoir and the feeder tanks volition assistance recharge the h2o sources. With replenishing aquifers, determination volition beryllium a unchangeable underground h2o proviso and it volition surely assistance farmers spell successful for little water-intensive crops, says the official.