Over 6,800 farmers in the district have availed themselves of the special government order permitting them to source topsoil from water bodies suiting their requirement.
Out of 1030 tanks and ponds spread over 14 blocks across the district, sanction for removal of topsoil in 539 water bodies was secured.
Farmers have been permitted to take the soil free of cost, at the rate of 25 units for fields with assured water for irrigation and 30 units for rainfed fields.
Soil removal is also permitted for household use.
For other purposes, soil is sold at rates prescribed by the government.
There is also substantial progress in removal of topsoil from the Bhavani Sagar reservoir.
Out of the dam’s total spread of 18000 acres, the district administration obtained clearance from the government last month for removal of 13,000 cubic metres of topsoil. So far, over 4500 cubic metres of soil have been removed, District Collector S.Prabakar who inspected the process said.
Farmers, Agriculture Department sources said, were keen on utilising the rare opportunity to enhance fertility and productivity of their fields through application of silt.
Over the years, the soil in the fields had lost fertility since high density rainfall during monsoons and surface run-off had caused erosion of valuable nutrient- rich topsoil, which is deposited as silt in the tanks by the running water.
Topsoil removal from the tanks at this juncture has become imperative not only for improving productivity of farm lands, but also expanding the storage capacity of the water bodies ahead of the monsoons, farmers said.
