About 50 farmers, representing villages in Kottampatti block in Melur taluk, petitioned Collector (in charge) S. Shantha Kumar here on Monday seeking proper water supply through Periyar Main Canal.
To draw the attention of authorities to the gravity of the water crisis in villages, they started their march from Soorapatti three days ago, attempting to traverse 100 km to Madurai so that farmers en route could join them and present petition to the Collector, but they were stopped by the police at Alagarkoil.
K. Selvaraj, one of the organisers of the march, said though 11 villages received water from Periyar canal, some villages did not. This age-old problem was raised also at the gram sabha meeting held at Kambur four months back, still there was no solution.
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P. Shanmugam from Soorapatti said water supplied through the canal to the parched villages was intermittent for the past 40 years. “Thankfully rains made up for the offset. But, in the past seven years, there was scanty rain in our area. Though we have sunk borewells to 700 feet, there is no water. Our coconut trees are dying and we are finding it difficult to do any farming,” he said.
Farmers from Chettipatti and Pattur formed part of the contingent that embarked on the march to Madurai Collectorate.
The farmers, along with Melur MLA Periyapullan alias P. Selvam, presented the petition to the Collector and sought an early solution to the water crisis.
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The Collector (in charge) assured them that officials concerned would look into the matter and take remedial measures soon.