Alleging that there was rampant illegal tapping of water released from Mullaperiyar dam before it reaches Vaigai dam, farmers from Periyar Irrigation Planning Committee petitioned Collector K. Veera Raghava on Monday requesting his intervention in tackling the issue.
R. Arul Pragasam, one of the petitioners, alleged that though around 1,400 cusecs of water was being released from Mullaperiyar dam, only around 850 cusecs was being received in the Vaigai dam. “Discounting the 200 cusecs being released since Sunday to Cumbum valley, there is still around 350 cusecs of water that is unaccounted. This is a huge quantity,” he claimed. He said that at many places water was illegally pumped directly from the river. “Officials from the Public Works Department are very much aware of this, but have failed to take any action,” he alleged.
According to him, permission has been given to many drinking water bottling units, which are reportedly the main suspects in the tapping of water.
G. Murugan, another petitioner, said that it must also be checked whether the actual quantity of water being released to Cumbum valley was more than 200 cusecs. “Also, the officials must make it clear that no water is being released in the P.T.R and Thanthai Periyar canals out of turn,” he said.
Stating that such illegal tapping and excessive release of water in other areas adversely affected the share of Periyar credit of water meant for farmers in Madurai district, the petitioners demanded immediate steps to address these issues.
They also demanded the release of water to 45,000 acre of single-crop region in Madurai district from Peranai to Kallanthiri from Vaigai dam by June 25.
