The speedy execution of the Rs 260-crore Kollidam integrated water supply project has drawn flak from the farmers in the tail-end delta region of Chidambaram, Bhuvanagiri, Kattumannarkoil and Parangipettai area.
The project is intended to supply water from the Kollidam to Cuddalore, Bhuvanagiri, Parangipettai and 812 habitations in the district. Once completed these places that normally depend upon the ground water for their drinking water and irrigation purpose would get the surface (river) water for the first time.
However, the members of the Kollidam — Keelanai Paasana Vivasayigal Sangam have voiced their apprehension over the speedy completion of the water project. Though they do not have any objections to the project as such they are demanding construction of a barrage across the Kollidam prior to the completion of the project.
Justifying the demand president of the Sangam P.Vinayagamoorthy has sent a representation in this regard to District Collector S. Suresh Kumar. He told The Hindu that even before the water project was thought of the government had sanctioned a sum of Rs 400 for constructing a barrage at Eyyalur across the Kollidam in Kattumannarkoil block.
A barrage at this point was of absolute necessity for the purpose of storing the excess flow during rainy season, to avert flood damage to the standing crops and to augment the ground water level.
Mr. Vinayagamoorthy underscored the point that the ayacutdars and the residents in the region were mainly depending upon the surface water for drinking and irrigation purposes. However, the speedy execution of the Kollidam project, before the construction of the barrage, would put the farmers and laymen in the region to great hardships.
Because the water project envisaged sinking of deep borewells, numbering about 12 in the Kollidam bed at places such as Kuchipalayam, Achalpuram, Sirukattur and Eyyalur, and installation of high-power motors to pump out water at the rate of 20,000 litres a minute from the riverbed.
In such an eventuality the sub-surface water level in the region would deplete fast, robbing the livelihood of the farmers and creating artificial water scarcity in the region. Therefore, to avert such hardships the authorities should first construct the barrage before the commencement of the water supply project, he said.
Mr Vinayagamoorthy further said that if the promise on the barrage construction is not fulfilled the farmers and the residents would be forced to resort to agitation.
