Farmers divided over concrete lining of LGP Canal

COIMBATORE: The farmers who depend on the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) Canal are unhappy about the maintenance of the canal which serves as the lifeline for Erode, Tirupur and Karur districts. The situation, if not addressed soon, may turn violent with the prevailing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over Cauvery water adding fuel to the fire.
The farmers of the three districts are opposed to the state government's resolution to seek Rs1,210cr loan from the World Bank for the concrete lining of the LBP Canal banks.They believe the move would affect the ground water discharge. An equally strong rival group of farmers, who live on the tail end of the canal, has demanded early implementation of the project, believing that only the concrete lining can ensure them a fair share of the Bhavani water.
"It is unfortunate that a section of farmers are welcoming the draconian move. Lining the river bed will prevent percolation of river water. Aquifers in the entire area won't be recharged. Those who demand concrete lining are only concerned about short term gains and not about long term needs of the region," said C Nallasamy of Lower Bhavani Farmers' Welfare Association, which first spoke against the project.
"Forty among the 44 ayacuts in the LBP region are in favour of concrete lining. It is the only proven solution to the high level of seepage which prevents flow of water to the tail end of the canal. We too, have lands, that need to be irrigated and those living in the mouth of the canal must understand the perils of those struggling at the tail end,'' said M Kasiyannan, a farmers' leader, who has formed an action council to press for early implementation of the project. Kasiyannan has already organised a rally in support of the project that was attended by over 2,000 people.
Nallasamy acknowledged the existence of seepage but pointed out that the cure proposed by the state government is far worse than the disease itself. The LBP canal is a 125-mile long irrigation canal that runs mostly through Erode and Tirupur and terminates in Karur district after irrigating 2.07 lakh hectares. According to Kasiyannan, more than 40 per cent of the water released in the canal is wasted due to seepage.
"We have consulted experts and they believe that a concrete lining would fail to arrest seepage," said Nallasamy. "The seepage actually helps people fill wells. The wells helped us water crops when Bhavanisagar dam was closed. If a concrete lining is done, it would adversely affect groundwater recharge and destroy a number of trees on both sides of the bunds,'' claimed Nallasamy. He alleged that the police and revenue authorities have not acted impartially and so they were not given permission to hold any programme against the project. Even hunger-strikes were not permitted, he claimed.
"The proposal would ensure effective water management and reduce wastage. Water from the canal would ultimately enter farm lands and recharge groundwater,'' said Kasiyannan.
Coimbatore: Yet another dispute is brewing among farmers who dependent on the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) Canal over the maintenance of this life line of Erode, Tirupur and Karur districts and it may turn a replica of the prevailing interstate water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over sharing Cauvery river water if not addressed properly.
While a large number of farmers in the three districts are opposing state's government decision to seek a Rs 1,210-crore loan from the World Bank for concrete lining of the LBP Canal banks saying the move would affect adversely the ground water discharge, an equally strong rival group of farmers who live on the tail end of the canal demands early implementation of the project. The pro-concrete lining farmers say only such a move would ensure them enough share of the Bhavani water and any attempt to put it on hold will invite severe resistance.
It is unfortunate that a section of farmers are welcoming the draconian move. Lining the river bed will prevent percolation of river water. Aquifers in the entire area won't be recharged. Those who demand concrete lining are only concerned of short term gains and not about long term needs of the region,'' said C Nallasamy of Lower Bhavani Farmers' Welfare Association, which first came out against the concrete lining concept.
Equally adamant are the rival group which demand early concrete lining of the entire stretch. Forty among the 44 ayacuts in the LBP region are in favour of concrete lining. It is the only proven solution to the high level of seepage which prevents flow of water to the tail end of the canal. We too have agriculture to irrigate and those who living in the beginning of the canal must understand difficulties of those who struggling hard at the tail end,'' says M Kasiyannan, a farmers leader who now forming an action council to press for concrete lining. Kasiyannan has already organized a rally of like minded farmers in Erode saying lining would help prevent loss of water through seepage and it had participation of over 2000 people. Nallasamy too admits to the problem of seepage but says the cure proposed by state government is worse than the disease.
The LBP canal is a 125-mile long irrigation canal that runs mostly through Erode district, Tirupur district and terminates in Karur district after irrigating 2.07 lakh hectares of land. According to Kasiyannan, more than 40 per cent of the water released in the canal was lost through seepage, he added.
Farmers owing allegiance to Nallasamy, however, disagree. "Our people also consulted experts and they are of the opinion that concrete lining would arrest the seepage is unrealistic,'' says Nallasamy. "The seepage from the canal had hitherto helped recharge the wells in our areas and helped us get adequate water for crops when water was not released from the Bhavanisagar dam. If the lining is done, it would adversely affect groundwater recharge and destroy a number of trees on both sides of the bunds of the waterway,'' claims Nallasamy. According to him, police and revenue authorities are also turning partial and that is why no permission was given so far to conduct anti-concrete lining protests. Even a hunger fast was not permitted, he claims. He even hints of violating the police orders to prevent concrete lining.
However, Kasiyannan rubbish the fear of Nallasamy. "The proposal would ensure effective water management and reduce wastage. Water from the canal would ultimately enter farmers' lands and recharge groundwater. There is no basis for their arguments,'' he said..