Farmers in the district have urged the officials to desilt all irrigation channels carrying water from the dams to farms and remove the encroachments made in these channels before the release of water from reservoirs for ‘kar’ paddy cultivation.
Raising the issue at the farmers’ grievances redressal meet held at the Collectorate on Friday with District Collector V. Vishnu in chair, farmer S. Kulanthaivelu of Melapalayam said the major irrigation channels including Tirunelveli, Palayam and Kodagan Channels, were filled with silt even as encroachments were threatening the channels. Hence, desilting and encroachment eviction drive should be completed before water was released from Papanasam and Manimuthar dams for ‘kar’ paddy cultivation.
However, the Public Works Department officials did not give any assurance to the farmers on removing the silt and the encroachments in the irrigation channels, much to the disappointment of the farmers.
Farmer Mano Deepan’s question on pumping out water from the ponds under the control of PWD and local bodies for catching the fishes too went unanswered by the officials concerned.
On the dumping of waste in irrigation tanks, Mr. Vishnu replied that this problem was being reported in Kallidaikurichi area and it would be addressed by implementing proper solid waste management programme there.
When farmer Prince raised the issue of broken shutters of Nambiyar dam, the Collector assured that the issue would be addressed by allocating sufficient funds during this fiscal.
Farmer P. Peumbadaiyar brought the officials’ attention towards the invasion of wild animals into the farms close to the Western Ghats in the region between Ambasamudram to Thirukkurunkudi leading to crop damage. “Moreover, farmers have also been attacked by the wild animals in the recent past which should be effectively neutralized by erecting solar power fencing,” he said.
When the officials informed the farmers that no insurance benefit would be given to banana growers who had lost the crop to recent gale as there was no norm for this loss, the agriculturists were disappointed.
Mr. Vishnu said cluster arid land development programme would be taken up in 15 areas where the geophysical survey had been completed for sinking deep borewells. Since 56 village panchayat had been selected for implementing this programme during the fiscal 2022 – 2023, converting arid land into cultivable land with the water getting from deep borewells would be possible, he said.
The Collector informed that 1.50 tonnes of certified seeds had been kept for sale.
Joint Director of Agriculture Gajendra Pandian was present.
