Fresh trouble is brewing for the Forest Department and the Water Resources Organisation of the Public Works Department (PWD), Bhavani Sagar Dam, as farmers have started encroaching the water storage area of the dam spread in Sirumugai forest range in Coimbatore and Bhavani Sagar range in Erode.
The Water Resources Organisation of the PWD, Bhavani Sagar Dam, has already circulated a notice in Sirumugai warning action against encroachers. The notice issued by the Assistant Engineer of the the Water Resources Organisation of the PWD stated that farming activity would not be permitted in the water spread area of the dam as a case pertaining to the use of electric fencing in the area by farmers was pending before the High Court. However, the notice had clearly stated that farmers who owned lease granted by the Water Resources Organisation of the PWD for farming were exempted.
Sources from Sirumugai said that the encroachment activities, beginning from ploughing the water spread area using tractors, started after the water level receded after a gap of five months.
When contacted, Sirumugai Forest Range Officer E.N. Manoharan said that farming activity in forest land that serves as water storage area of the dam was a concern. However, farming activity by lessees in revenue, patta and PWD lands that were part of the water storage area was not a concern as such places are not close to the reserve forest.
“With the water level receding and summer approaching, more wild animals will venture out of the forest in search of water in places such as Mokkaimedu that falls on the Nilgiris eastern slope. Farmers will naturally try to protect their crops and this may lead to conflict. In June 2018, the High Court had ordered removal of electric fencing erected by farmers in water spread area and the case is pending before the court,” said Mr. Manoharan.
He added that he has alerted the higher officials in the Department about the farming activity in water spread area close to the forest land.
