Erode farmers seek CM's intervention to renovate LBP Canal
In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister and submitted to the district administration on Wednesday (August 6, 2025), members of the Keel Bhavani Murai Neer Pasana Vivasayigal Kootamaippu and the Keel Bhavani Ayacut Nila Urimaiyalargal Sangam said the ayacut areas were facing acute water shortage. They said crops had withered over the past four months, resulting in financial losses.
Surplus water is being released from Bhavanisagar Dam and farmer associations requested the government to utilise the water. Following repeated appeals, water was released from the Dam into the canal on July 31, earlier than the customary date of August 15. However, a breach at the 13th mile of the canal at Vandipalayam in Sathyamangalam taluk led to substantial water loss before it could reach the farmlands.
The letter pointed out that between 2021 and 2025, six major breaches had occurred in the main canal after water release for irrigation. The farmers urged the Chief Minister to investigate the cause of these recurring breaches, particularly since the government had already spent ₹710 crore on canal renovation. They also noted that the government had informed the Madras High Court of its readiness to allocate an additional ₹200 crore for the project.
'Despite these investments, the canal has lost its operational efficiency,' the letter stated. 'Instead of renovating the entire canal as recommended by hydrology experts, the work appears to have been done selectively based on the preferences of local residents,' it added.
The letter further expressed concern about the canal's ability to supply water throughout the irrigation season. This uncertainty, it said, has created serious anxiety among farmers, many of whom are now hesitant to transplant paddy or continue with cultivation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
3 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Land acquisition delay: Madras HC summons chief secretary
MADURAI: Expressing displeasure at the state government's delay in releasing funds to the tune of Rs 25.4 crore towards acquisition of 9.5 acres of temple land in front of the court campus, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday summoned the chief secretary of Tamil Nadu for an explanation. If the amount is released by the next hearing on August 13, the authority need not appear, the court added. 'If the government is not able to spare a sum of Rs 25,42,21,775 for additional infrastructure to the high court in the state, it reflects the poor state of affairs prevailing in the state,' a bench of Justices G Jayachandran and KK Ramakrishnan remarked. The bench, which was hearing a batch of petitions filed in connection with the said land parcel, was specifically constituted to monitor the acquisition process and issue directions as required. When the matter was heard in April this year, the bench had made serious observations over the delay and had directed the authorities to act swiftly considering the dire need of the land parcel for the court's use. Even then, there has been no major progress except exchange of communication between officers at the lower level, the judges said.
New Indian Express
4 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Elected president of PMK, Anbumani vows to unseat DMK with mega alliance
'Dalits, Vanniyars should reject DMK in 2026 polls' Dr Anbumani said he felt no joy when he heard about the verdict. 'I did not feel happy or joy at all. I was pained. Who are we getting this verdict against? Against our own?,' he asked. He said that Dr Ramadoss will forever remain the guiding force of the party and said he will surely join the rest present at the meeting soon. A chair reserved for the party's founder, Ramadoss, was placed vacant next to Anbumani at the meeting, symbolising the founder's permanent place in the party. In a reference to the founder, he said, 'In temples, sometimes the deity gets angry, and we perform rituals to please them. Here, the problem is not with the deity, but with the priests.' He said that he had spoken with his father over 40 times in the recent past, including once on Friday, trying to resolve the differences. 'Every time we make progress, intermediaries sabotage it,' he said. 'At one point, we agreed to share signing powers jointly, and Ayya (Ramadoss) accepted it. But later, he insisted that the power should rest with him alone,' he said. Urging party functionaries and cadres to remain upbeat and work actively for the elections, he said he received a letter from the Election Commission of India last week, stating that the party has been allotted the 'mango' symbol it has always used in Assembly election. He attacked the DMK for 'betraying' the Vanniyar community by failing to take measures to implement the 10.5 % reservation. One of the resolutions said the party will launch a massive protest to 'fill the prisons' if the DMK government fails to provide the reservation. 'Both the Dalits and the Vanniyars should fully reject the DMK in the upcoming elections,' he said. Vadivel Ravanan and Thilagabama were respectively elected as general secretary and treasurer for another year till August 2026. Meanwhile, Murali Shankar, termed the meeting as illegal, stating that the Madras High Court did not accord any legitimacy to the meeting.
The Hindu
11 hours ago
- The Hindu
PMK holds general body meet without Ramadoss; Anbumani to continue as president for one year
The PMK general body meeting, convened by Anbumani Ramadoss on Saturday, resolved that he would continue as party president while , and other office-bearers, Vadivel Ravanan and M. Thilagabama would continue as general secretary and treasurer respectively, for one year. The internal party election will be held in August 2026. For the first time, the general body meeting was held without PMK founder S. Ramadoss, amid the ongoing stand-off with his son Dr. Anbumani. The meeting was held at Mamallapuram, after the Madras High Court dismissed a writ petition to restrain Dr. Anbumani from convening a general body meeting. It passed a resolution vowing to defeat the ruling DMK in the 2026 Assembly election. 'Talks on for truce' Dr. Anbumani spoke about the ongoing rift with his father, and said talks were under way for a truce. 'I have spoken to him [Ramadoss] for over 40 times. I spoke to him yesterday as well. Through family, relatives, and friends, the mediation is in progress. Dr. Ramadoss will agree [for a compromise] in the morning, but some jackals would play spoilsport in between,' he said. 'We both discussed jointly taking up the signing authority. Dr. Ramadoss agreed to it 15 days ago. But later, he said he alone would have the signing authority. I did not agree to it,' Dr. Anbumani added. He hailed his father as a social justice reformist, and a national leader, and said a seat had been reserved for him at the meeting. 'I am not a stubborn person— I always say, let's work together. I have no desire for the leadership post. If I had wanted, I would have taken it 15 years ago. I did not join this party for posts or responsibilities. My goal is to take society to the next level,' he said. 'I never imagined such a situation would arise. I am firm in my stand, but not stubborn,' Dr. Anbumani said, adding: 'We have now made it clear that the DMK should not come back to power. It is important to stick to that stance.' Resolutions passed Another resolution warned of protest, if internal reservations for Vanniyars were not announced. A slew of resolutions were passed, including ones demanding the conduct of caste census in Tamil Nadu, and condemning the DMK government for its alleged failures on women's safety, and law and order. Others sought full prohibition in the State, reinstatement of the old pension scheme for government employees, and a permanent solution to the fishermen issue.
