The Madras High Court on Wednesday accepted a plan submitted by the State government to release water to the farmers of the Lower Bhavani Project for special wetting.
While closing two PIL petitions on the release of water, the court observed that water was a basic amenity and the right to water, a basic human right. The First Bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose closed a PIL plea filed by the Lower Bhavani Farmers’ Federation asking for the release of 7 tmc of water to irrigate 1.03 lakh acres of land. The odd-turn sluices irrigate half of the 2.07 acres covered by the Lower Bhavani Project canal. The petitioners told the court that areas served by the odd-turn sluices of the Bhavanisagar dam had not received water for two years due to poor monsoon. The farmers contended that there was sufficient water in the dam now to be released to them.
The government plan says that for the first four days, 1,000 cusecs will be released, 2,200 cusecs for the next six days and 3,200 cusecs for another 10 days. The court also directed that adequate drinking water should also to be provided.
The PIL petition said the farmers’ attempts at getting redressal from various governmental authorities proved futile. They approached the government in December 2017 and in January 2018, and also met the Erode District Collector. All these failed to produce results.
The HC also closed another petition, by an individual named V.K. Venkatachalam, for a direction to release drinking water to Odaittur.
