more-in The slump in agricultural activities in the PAP command area due to inadequate availability of water for irrigation in the recent years is making farmers to reiterate the demand for expeditious completion of long pending Niraru-Nallar and Anamalayar irrigation schemes. M. Gopalaswami, retired college professor who has studied extensively about Niraru-Nallar and Anamalayar schemes, pointed out that the water shortage issue cropped up once the command area of the PAP scheme was extended from 2.5 lakh acres, for which the project was initially conceptualised, to 3.75 lakh acres in the later stages. “To cater to the additional acreage, the quantity of water now flowing into the reservoir area of Thirumoorthy dam is not enough. The construction of a dam across River Nallar under the envisaged Nirau-Nallar scheme will enable bringing the surplus water to the tune of 14 TMC from Upper Niraru in two spells every year, to Thirumoorthy dam. Likewise, the dam across River Anamalayar will enable diversion of 2,500 million cubic feet of water annually into the PAP irrigation system,” he pointed out. P. Velumani, a farmer and president of Palladam unit of Tami Nadu Non-Political Farmers Association, was of the opinion that the State Government should liaison with the Kerala Government to speed up execution of the two projects. In Coimbatore, State president of the Farmers’ Association for Linking of National and South Indian Rivers P. Ayyakkannu also urged the government to expedite the implementation of the schemes. Submitting a petition to the Coimbatore Collector on Tuesday, he said it would benefit the western parts of the State. Taking high-tension power line over agricultural lands would affect the livelihood of farmers, and hence, it should be taken through underground cables. Check dams should be built in every km across Noyyal River to prevent discharge of effluents from dyeing units. Later, he distributed pamphlets to create awareness among the public on ensuring the State’s rights in Cauvery. If the Centre failed to establish Cauvery Management Board as per the directions of Supreme Court even after the Karnataka polls, he would stage an agitation in New Delhi, he said. He was here as part of his 100-day State-wide tour demanding ban on genetically modified seeds. On Monday, members of the Association gave a memorandum to Tirupur Collector K. S. Palanisamy highlighting the plight of farmers due to poor price realisation for crops and also sought speedy implementation of the irrigation schemes.

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