The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Plea to modernise irrigation projects

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Thursday, Dec 06, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Plea to modernise irrigation projects

Staff Reporter

“Move will bring benefits to Karur farmers”

Financial agencies must fund such projects: body
Need for barrages, regulators, sluices

KARUR: Farmers have urged the State Government to modernise irrigation and drainage projects in the region between Mettur Dam and Grand Anicut to effectively utilise available water.

In a statement here on Tuesday, working president of Cauvery Delta Farmers’ Welfare Association Mahadanapuram V. Rajaram welcomed the reported statement of PWD senior officials on the World Bank giving its nod for modernisation of irrigation projects along the Cauvery.

Stating that the move would bring immense benefits to farmers in the region, Mr. Rajaram urged the State Government to approach proper international financial agencies to fund such modernisation projects.

Experts’ panel

Calling upon the government to ensure that all sections of farmers benefit from the proposed modernisation plans, Mr. Rajaram said that the experts panel formed to elicit views of representatives of farmers should meet the ayacutdars of Cauvery, Bhavani, Amaravathy and Noyyal from Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Karur and Tiruchi districts to ascertain their needs and requirements.

If the government wanted to ensure equal availability of water in the whole of the Cauvery basin, then construction of barrages, regulators in the river and sluices across the channels should be taken up immediately in the region between Mettur Dam and Grand Anicut, the statement said.

Preventing overflow

Efforts should be made to prevent water from the Cauvery from flowing down the river into the sea for which technical and consultancy help could be sought from even retired Public Works Department officials, Mr. Rajaram said.

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