The Andhra Pradesh government’s move to construct a check dam across a supply channel of Kusa river that feeds irrigation waterbodies in Tamil Nadu has drawn flak among farmers in Tiruvallur district. The proposal has been suspended after a meeting on Thursday.
Earlier this week, farmers of several villages along the Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh border falling under Pallipet taluk, Tiruvallur district, agitated against the move to construct a check dam across a supply channel of Kusa river at Nelavoi, Andhra Pradesh. The supply channel fed Velliagaram tank, which was the main source of irrigation for 10 villages. The construction of check dam upstream would pose a threat to their livelihood, farmers said.
Though Kusa river originates in Andhra Pradesh, it is crucial for Tamil Nadu as it brings copious inflow to the Kosasthalaiyar river that joins the Poondi reservoir. The 4-km supply channel that branches off Kusa river feeds tanks within Tamil Nadu limit.
P. Ravindranath, a resident of Velliagaram, said while 3.5 km of the channel runs in Andhra Pradesh, only 500 metre falls in Tamil Nadu. “A check dam upstream will block surplus water flowing into the chain of water bodies from Velliagaram tank. Many farmers depend on the tank to grow sugarcane and paddy. We agitated as it poses a threat to our irrigation rights,” he said.
Members of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association said about 2,000 acres of irrigation lands in villages, including Velliagaram Colony, I.V. Pattadai and Sanakuppam depended on the inflow from the supply channel. C. Perumal, the association’s treasurer, said there was no need to construct a check dam as the Kusa river has flow for over eight months and villages in the Andhra Pradesh limits also benefited from the Velliagaram tank.
