The Penukondapuram Paasana Vivasyigal Sangam staged a demonstration here on Wednesday alleging non-maintenance of the irrigation channel by Uthangarai PWD.
According to the president of the Sangam, K.M. Soundarajan, the State Government had allocated Rs.4.25 crore for modernisation of the irrigation channel.
“The 12.5 km. modernised channel witnessed water reaching the tail-end of the channel in 2.5 hours during test run,” he said.
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However, despite modernisation, the shutters of the channel were constantly found stolen, alleged Mr. Soundarajan.
Penukondapuram Lake was filled to the brim this year due heavy rain.
Yet, water never reached the tail-end of the irrigation link due to the failed shutters. According to the farmers, in 2015, 18 shutters of the total 25 shutters were found to be stolen.
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In 2015 January, a meeting was convened with the farmers and the PWD to discuss the safety of shutters.
“At that time, five shutters were broken and stolen. By December, over 18 shutters were stolen,” said Mr. Soundarajan.
The lack of protection to shutters has affected water sharing between farmers along the span of the irrigation channel.
“In December, the water from Penukondapuram Lake was released to front-end farmers without convening farmers meeting.
The water for irrigation should be maintained for a span of 135 days. However, water was released without consulting with farmers, causing friction among sections of farmers,” alleged Mr. Soundarajan.