Farmers in Vellore on Friday informed the district administration that the Andhra Pradesh (AP) government had constructed a 50-foot-dam across the Palar at Noolgunda in Kuppam.
A.C. Venkatesan, president of Vellore district Palar Paadhukaapu Sangam and R. Mullai, district secretary of Tamil Nadu Vivasaigal Sangam, Vellore, made a visit to a number of places across the river in Andhra Pradesh last week following reports that its government had constructed a new check dam at Samapallam.
The Palar runs for 33 km in AP and 222 km in Vellore district.
At the monthly farmers’ grievance meeting held on Friday, Mr. Venkatesan told Collector S.A. Raman that during the visit, they found a newly constructed dam measuring 50 feet height and at least 200 feet long at Noolgunda in Kothapalli panchayat of AP.
“The dam could have a storage capacity of at least 2 to 3 tmc ft of water. Work to deepen the area was going on when we visited. So, it could store more quantity of water. The dam has been constructed inside a forest area,” he said.
Mr. Mullai said that Noolgunda was situated at least five to six km from Samapallam. He added that more number of dams were being constructed between Ganeshapuram and Noolgunda.
“In fact, the AP government had raised the height of a check dam at Samapallam from five feet to 12 feet. This check dam is located across the Palar and not across its tributary as claimed by Public Works Department officials,” he added.
Mr. Venkatesan also said that the AP government had raised the height of eight check dams constructed across Palar including at Sivaramapuram, Chippangunda, Kolamadavu, Bokkilirevu and Jithanibenda.
“At some places, the construction work is under way, while construction materials have been brought to some areas,” he said.
Farmers grievances
Udayakumar, a farmer said the delay in paying the arrears for sugarcane farmers were causing plenty of hardship to them. L.C. Mani, another farmer, urged the district administration to take steps to remove chromium that has been dumped in the open on the premises of Tamil Nadu Chromates and Chemicals Limited at Ranipet.
