The State government has turned to traditional ‘Kudimaramathu’ or maintenance of waterbodies with participation of local farmers, aimed at “faster and more efficient” execution of works related to maintenance and repairs of irrigation tanks and channels.
The government has allocated ₹100 crore for implementation of the project in 1519 tanks across the State. Public Works Department has initiated the works as the storage in tanks has dwindled with the start of summer.
In Madurai, 77 tanks have been taken up for maintenance under, what is called the pilot project announced in the 2016-17 budget, though involving farmers in such works by the PWD dates back to 1975.
“It was initially taken up in the then composite Thanjavur district. Subsequently, the government expanded the project to all the districts in 1979,” a PWD engineer said.
The Government Order in 1975 said the desirability of entrusting maintenance and repair works, including kudimaramathu work, to ayacutdars was that they might take greater interest in speedy and efficient execution.
The GO said the work should be entrusted to a particular ayacutdar with written consent of a majority of the farmers.
Under the present form of the scheme, the farmers, upon making a contribution of 10% of project cost, will have the right to select the work on priority. Among the works are deepening of waterbodies, strengthening of bunds, desilting of supply channels and repair of sluices.
“However, there is no ban on deploying machinery in execution of works. Similarly, the farmers have right to employ contractors for the same,” an engineer said.
Technical guidance
PWD engineers would provide only technical guidance and supervise the work. With the involvement of all the farmers of the ayacut under the irrigation tank, it is expected that the work be implemented with more accountability.
A farmer, N.A. Ramachandra Raja,of Virudhunagar district, however, has a different opinion on the scheme.
“When Kudimaramathu was done decades back, the farmers’ involvement was voluntary. It has come back after three decades. But, it looks more like a political stunt with limited involvement of farmers. We have been demanding taking up of repair works in tanks owned by panchayat unions that have been left in a shambles for long time,” he said.
Stating that there were more union tanks than PWD tanks, he said at least the government should come forward to maintain union tanks under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, he added.
