Farmers want to de-silt waterbodies

But WRD, Tiruvallur district administration delay permit citing misuse and diversion of silt

Win-win situation:Farmers say removing the silt will also increase the storage capacity of waterbodies. A view of the Nemam tank in Tiruvallur district. —Photo: B. Jothi Ramalingam

At a time when illicit sand-mining is posing a threat to waterbodies and rivers, farmers in Tiruvallur district are demanding that the government allow them to remove silt from waterbodies and use it for cultivation.

This would not only help increase their water storage capacity, but also lead to better groundwater recharge, the farmers noted. Several of them have also placed their demand in various grievance meetings and submitted petitions to Tiruvallur Collectorate.

Farmers said mixing of top soil removed from the neighbourhood ponds and tanks will help nourish their fields and improve crop production. They noted that the system was being practised in Andhra Pradesh.

Residents in the Tiruttani taluk mainly cultivate groundnut, paddy and sugarcane and the recently constructed check-dams in the region has ensured better water storage in the Kosasthalaiyar river.

Ranganatha Naidu, a farmer based in N.N. Kandigai, Tiruttani taluk, said, “Our area is close to the Kosasthalaiyar river and the sandy layer in irrigation land is up to a depth of 8-10 feet. We have been asking for permission for almost a decade. I often manage by cultivating sugarcane. If we can get silt from waterbodies in N.N. Kandigai and Nallathur during summer months when the tanks are dry, it will help improve soil condition in irrigation land.”

Farmers in Putlur near Sevvapet said that though some steps were taken to grant permission to clear silt from waterbodies in Putlur, Thiruvur and Thozhuvur, it had not materialised so far. K.G. Bhoopathi of Putlur said as the villages were along the Cooum, soil layers ran for a depth of six feet.

“I use more manure to make the soil fertile for paddy cultivation. We asked for permission to remove silt from tanks near our land. The local authorities even sought vehicle numbers to transport silt a few months ago. But, we are still waiting for permission,” he said.

Citing reasons like misuse and diversion of silt for other purposes, the district administration and Water Resources Department (WRD) have delayed issuing permission to farmers.

Sources in the WRD said the demand was under scrutiny. Pointing out challenges such as indiscriminate silt removal, they said such measures could be adopted if regulations were put in place. There was a need for coordination of various departments to implement a strict monitoring mechanism, they added.