Summary:
But as per the data, the river contained much less than 70 cusecs of water in at least 55% of days in the last two years. When we do not have sufficient water, how will the projects become successful.”He said the farmers are not opposing the entire project but the path that have been chosen to execute it.Instead of tapping water at Samayapuram, if water is tapped at Pudukadu village which is below Sirumugai, then it will not affect the existing water schemes, he said, adding that from Pudukadu, water could be taken through Saravanampatti to Vilankurichi where TWAD has its master tank.By executing this, both the public at city limit and rural parts would benefit. A group of farmers have opposed the Pillur III water augmentation project alleging that the project would ruin the existing 16 water schemes in rural parts of the district.According to TT Rangasamy of Bhavani River Water and Groundwater Protection Committee, 106MLD of water is tapped from Pillur and Bhavani Sagar reservoirs to supply drinking water to regions in and below Mettupalayam, including Nellithurai, Karamadai, Thondamuthur, Vadavalli and Annur, under the 16 water schemes.If the district administration taps water in such a bulk quantity in the upper stream, it would affect the water schemes in the lower stream, he said.Rangasamy said, “To supply water to all the regions without any scarcity, at least 70 cusecs of water should flow in river Bhavani and its tributary river Moyar. In this way, the district administration will have to spend a little more as some land which they need to acquire falls under urban limit, he added.Another villager N Sundarrajan said officials are not conducting any talks with the villagers and they do not even know whom to contact for any clarification.“A part of my land was marked to lay pipelines, but till date I have not received any notice, or any official contacted me regarding the acquisition,” he added..