Trichy: A section of farmers receiving irrigation water from the branch canals of Cauvery petitioned the district collector on Monday seeking steps to stop the contaminated water they had been receiving of late. Displaying the bottles of water in black and green, they alleged that effluents discharged from textile dyeing units in neighbouring districts were responsible for the pollution.In a memorandum submitted to the district revenue officer (DRO), the farmers owing allegiance to Tamil Manila Congress headed by its state organizer, Puliyur A Nagarajan, said that farmers from Trichy district had been getting irrigation water from 19 canals including Uyyakondan, Kattalaimedu and Ayyan canals. “We have been receiving greenish water with oil content for the last two weeks. People residing along the canals are hesitating to take bath fearing that it may affect their skin. Farmers are afraid to use it for their standing paddy crop”, Nagarajan told reporters.He asked the district administration to take steps to find the place where the effluents were being discharged into the Cauvery and other branch canals. If anything was found abnormal, it should be stopped immediately to avert damage to standing paddy crop and other agricultural fields in the district, he added.It may be recalled that farmers from Lalgudi taluk had also raised apprehensions on the future of their 60-day samba paddy crops saying they had been receiving greenish water with oil content from Ayyan Vaickal. They had also raised doubts that effluents discharged into the Cauvery through Amaravathi from textile dyeing units may be causing the pollution.

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