Water Users’ Association in Pongalur area under Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP) main canal project has refuted the charge of excess utilisation levelled by tail-end farmers in Vellakovil-Kangayam.

There was no deficiency in water distribution in the branch canals along the stretch from 87th km to the the end of the 124-km main canal, according to M. Deivasigamani, president of the Water Users’ Association in Pongalur area.

In the third-zone wetting to irrigate 93734 acres, the acreage in irrigational area in Pongalur division encompasses 17,801 acres, while Palladam and Vellakovil-Kangayam branch canals irrigate 3,254 acres and 12,000 acres respectively.

“Factoring in distribution/evaporation losses, the Water Resources Department has been letting in 31 cusecs above the mandated extent of 100 cusecs at 4.5 Full Scale Deflection (FSD) into the Vellakovil branch canal for 15 days since January 2022,” Mr. Deivasigamani claimed.

The contention of the tail-end farmers is that the dynamics of water flow at the 108th km in Andipalayam reading point and the extent of accrual at the starting point of Vellakovil branch canal is not in conformity with the claim.

At times of less rainfall, the Water Resources Department ought to follow the pattern under practice in all other canals for ensuring reach to the ayacut in tail-end areas. The issue of lesser water realisation in tail-end areas consisting of additional ayacut that had been included in an originally-specified project area was perennial in canal-irrigation pattern, Mr. Deivasigamani explained.

In the PAP main canal, there was hope, by and large, among farmers downstream that the issue of excess utilisation by farmers along the upper course will be addressed decisively when the impending modernisation works are carried out by the Water Resources Department, Mr. Deivasigamani said.