Members of Cauvery Delta Farmers’ Association (CDFA) led by their working president Mahadhanapuram V.Rajaram, commenced a two-day rally on Sunday from Grand Anicut in a bid to highlight the importance of saving the 200 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of water received through the north east monsoon as it runs off into the sea.
The rally wended its way through Poondi, Thirukkattuppalli , Sathanur, Thiruvayaru, Ganapathi Agraharam, Kapisthalam , Swamimalai , Kumbakonam and Thirupanandal to reach Anaikarai for overnight break. On Monday it would culminate at Chidambaram.
Explaining why it has become imperative to attract the attention of the government, Mr.Rajaram said though north east monsoon showers a bounty of about 200 tmcft in Tamil Nadu which runs off into the sea through the delta districts, nothing has been done so far to save that water.
He pointed out that on an average 969 mm rainfall is received every year between Mettur Dam and Upper Anicut, and 859 mm between Upper Anicut and Grand Anicut.
He said the CDFA appealed to the Tamil Nadu government as early as 2004 to construct barrages in 16 places across the Cauvery between Mettur and Grand Anicut, and in seven places between Grand Anicut and Lower Anicut.
When the New Veeranam extension scheme was inaugurated, Tamil Nadu government announced that it would construct barrages across the Coleroon at Yelakurichi, Arankottai and Vazhaikurichi at a total estimate of Rs.75 crore. Besides, a bed dam planned across the Coleroon between Eyyalur and Kumaramangalam village in Nagapattinam district had been shelved despite preparing the estimates.
Construction of a bed dam at M.Puliyangudi is imperative to prevent intrusion of sea water into the Coleroon. Besides, Veeranam Tank should be cleared of silt at the earliest as the rain water from Perambalur and Ariyalur district reach the tank. “Due to the silt, we lose at least 10 tmcft of water to the sea,” he lamented.
He pointed out that Karnataka has been trying to construct various irrigation projects across the Cauvery at a total cost of Rs.1,300 crore and implement irrigation schemes under Hemavathi, Kabini and Yagachi reservoir at an estimate of Rs.5,000 crore.
It was trying to raise the requisite funds through issuing bonds.
Similarly, Andhra Pradesh was carrying out various projects without the consent of the Central government. Hence, even if the Central government did not cooperate with the Tamil Nadu government, the latter should constitute Cauvery Irrigation Development Commission and issue bonds for raising funds for various projects required across the Cauvery, he said. “We have planned this programme only to highlight these demands,” Mr.Rajaram added.
