Desilting resumes at Tirumurthi dam; residents demand strict monitoring

Tiruppur, Aug 22 (IANS) Desilting operations at the Tirumurthi Dam near Udumalpet have resumed following government approval, even as residents urged the authorities to strengthen monitoring and prevent irregularities in the removal and transportation of soil.

Located in the Western Ghats, the Tirumurthi Dam receives water from rivers and streams originating in the surrounding forest areas. Water is also diverted to the reservoir from dams forming part of the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project (PAP) system.

The dam plays a crucial role in irrigating farmland across Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts. Around 3,76,152 acres benefit from irrigation under the PAP scheme.

Another 3,044 acres are irrigated under the old ayacut system through the Thali and Vayapalayam canals.

Several combined drinking water schemes also depend on the reservoir. Taking advantage of the summer season and the reduced water level, farmers had sought permission to remove the silt accumulated in the reservoir.

The desilting work began on July 27. However, complaints alleging irregularities in the operation were subsequently submitted to the district administration.

Following the complaints, the authorities temporarily suspended the work on July 31 and conducted inspections at the dam site. Farmers later appealed to the government to allow the operation to continue, arguing that the nutrient-rich silt would help improve soil fertility and agricultural productivity.

The issue was also raised in the State Legislative Assembly. Permission was eventually granted to resume the work, and farmers began removing silt from the reservoir again on Friday.

Residents, however, said continuous supervision was essential to ensure that the permission was not misused. They urged officials to verify the quantity of soil removed by each beneficiary and ascertain whether it was being transported to the agricultural land specified in the permit.

They also called for checks to determine whether people who were not farmers from the dam’s command area were extracting soil for commercial purposes.

Officials must ensure that only permissible silt is removed and that gravel, red soil or other construction materials are not illegally transported from the reservoir area, they said.

Strict enforcement would ensure that genuine farmers benefited from the initiative. Properly transferring the accumulated silt to farmland could improve soil quality, increase crop yields and enhance farmers’ livelihoods, residents added.

–IANS

aal/rad