Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Checkdam brings prosperity to village

A. A. Michael Raj

Farmers switch from rain-fed agriculture to commercial crops Borewells were sunk to 800-1,000 ft earlier, but now water is available at just 30 ft

A BOOST: Collector, S. Kosalaraman (left) and Project Officer, District Rural Development Agency, P. Jeyabalakrishnan, at the checkdam in Naickenpalayam near Coimbatore.

Coimbatore: A checkdam constructed on Annan Thambi Kuttai at Naickenpalayam in the hilly region of Perianaickenpalayam panchayat union has dramatically increased water supply and enabled farmers to switch from rain-fed agriculture to commercial crops.

District officials visiting the area under the leadership of Collector, S. Kosalaraman had found that the checkdam - constructed at a cost of Rs. 36 lakhs - impounded water to a depth of 12 feet, spread over a surface area of seven acres.

Efforts fail

A release from P. Jeyabalakrishnan, Project Officer, District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), said that several efforts to construct the check dam had been a failure.

To put up the structure and improve groundwater levels, Pricol had donated Rs. 7 lakhs on behalf of the public.

Labourers carried out construction work under the Sampoorna Grama Employment Scheme, with the DRDA providing Rs. 29 lakhs.

Good inflow from hill streams fed by copious spells of rain over the last few days had filled up the checkdam.

People in the area had sunk borewells to depths of 800 and 1,000 feet to get water, but after the check dam filled up, they had found borewells and open wells yielding water at a depth of just 30 feet.

Dry crops

Farmers in the region who had been cultivating dry crops such as gingelly and corn (cholam) had opted for commercial crops such as sugarcane, turmeric, banana and maize (makka cholam) over a total area of 500 acres. Groundwater had recharged all open wells near the check dam.

"Before the Annan Thambi Kuttai check dam was constructed, I was cultivating rain-fed crops such as avarai, gingelly and cholam on nine acres," A. Rangasamy, a farmer from Kovanoor, told the visiting officials.

"After the check dam came up, I have sown turmeric on four acres and banana on two acres.

These crops will be ready for harvest in the month of aavani," he said and added that coconut palms that had been withering in the drought, had taken on a fresh, green look after the check dam filled up.

Another farmer , C. Natarajan, said that he had sown sugarcane on four-and-a-half acres and banana on two acres.

The cane was likely to be ready for harvest in the month of thai, he added.

Yield result

Fifteen wells that had gone dry in Naickenpalayam panchayat - de-silted and deepened - had begun yielding water after the check dam filled up.

Water levels in wells had gone up even in Gudalur town panchayat areas situated eight km from the Annan Thambi check dam.

Tank desilted

In Pilichi, 37 borewells that had gone dry had begun yielding plentiful supply of water after workers desilted and deepened a tank neglected for several years.

Farmers in the region were happy over the turn of events, for they were sure that rain-fed cultivation would give way to irrigated horticulture that would be more lucrative.

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