Ayacut farmers in Gobichettipalayam taluk have objected to the statement made by the Minister for Housing and Urban Development, S. Muthusamy that the Athikadavu-Avinashi Ground Water Recharge and Drinking Water Supply Scheme was put on hold due to water scarcity in River Bhavani. The farmers clarified that the scheme is only meant to draw surplus water from the river, and there is no legal right to draw water from the river.
Implemented at a cost of ₹ 1,756.88 crore to fill 32 Public Works Department tanks, 42 union tanks and 971 ponds in the districts of Erode, Tiruppur and Coimbatore, the project will irrigate 24,468 acres in the three districts. While most works were completed and farmers and the public were awaiting its inauguration this month, Mr. Muthusamy on February 8 said that water in the river was insufficient and the scheme would not be inaugurated now, leading to widespread criticism among farmer communities in the three districts.
According to the Thadapalli–Arakkankottai–Bhavani Nathi Pasana Vivasayigal Sangam, the project proposes to divert 1.5 tmc of surplus water from River Bhavani to the downstream of Kalingarayan Anicut and has not designed to draw water from the river. In a letter to the Minister and the District Collector, association president Subi. Thalapathi said that the dam had reached its maximum storage level during the last monsoon season, and surplus water would be released into the river. After fulfilling the requirements of ayacut areas coming under the Kodiveri Anicut and Kalingarayan canal, surplus water is proposed to be pumped for the project. Also, during the monsoon, surplus water from Periyakulam, Perumpallam Dam, Kambathrayan Pallam, Gunderipallam Dam, Sanjeevirayan Kulam, Thanneerpandal Eri, Appakudal Eri and water from the forest streams enter the river which is also a source of water for the project.
Mr. Thalapathi said earlier the water drawing points and its routes have changed since the inception of the project. “The project should now be called Kalingarayan Anicut area – Athikadavu surplus water pumping project,” he said. He said the river serves as a source of drinking water for people and for the Ayacut areas of Kodiveri Anicut and Kalingarayan canal for 10 months a year. As per the order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal 2007, water has to be released in the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) canal and for other ayacut areas on schedule. “Only after utilising water for irrigation,can surplus water be made available for the scheme,” he said, and added that there was no legal provision to draw water for the scheme as it does not come under the ayacut irrigation system.
