Urging the district administration to release water from Bhavanisagar reservoir to Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) to carry out agriculture activities on 1.03 lakh acres, members of various farmers associations staged a ‘waiting protest’ in front of the office of the Lower Bhavani Basin Division of Water Resources Organisation at Konavaikal here on Monday.
E.V.K. Shanmugan, State president, Tamil Nadu United Farmers Association led the protest.
Keel Bhavani Vivasayigal Nala Sangam, Tamil Nadu Farmers Association, Erode District Tractor Owners Association, Tamil Nadu Swadeshi Farmers’ Association were among those who supported the agitation.
Over 200 farmers participated.
They said that 2.7 lakh acres were irrigated using water from the reservoir as the ayacuts were divided into two halves, each to cover 1,03,500 acre. While one ayacuts continue to receive water regularly, areas in other ayacuts did not receive water for the last two years.
They said that water was not equally distributed to the two ayacuts and blamed the Ministers for their interference.
Farmers said that coconut trees had withered, cattle were not getting fodder, and farm lands were becoming barren.
Farmers said that that the water level in the reservoir was 6 tmc and 11 tmc of water was stored at Kundah Hydro Reservoirs at the Nilgiris.
The administration can request the electricity board to release water from the reservoirs, they added. They demanded water release for carrying out agriculture activities.
Later, PWD officials held talks with them. They promised to take up the matter with higher officials and come out with a solution within a week.
