Sulur Farmers Clash Over Tank Desilting Priority

Farmers in Sulur are renewing their 15-year-old demand for the desilting of two critical irrigation tanks, Periyakulam and Chinnakulam. These tanks, which supply water to over 1,000 acres of farmland, have allegedly not been cleaned for half a century. Farmers are concerned that the water resources department's (WRD) current plan to desilt the larger Periyakulam first could exacerbate water scarcity. They argue that the smaller Chinnakulam should be prioritized.

For the past two decades, farmers allege that sewage from the Noyyal river has contaminated the tanks, compromising groundwater quality and affecting local agriculture and cattle. They have submitted numerous petitions, including one to the chief minister's cell, seeking intervention. The WRD previously cited the rainy season and full tanks as reasons for not proceeding with the work.

The recent initiation of desilting the Periyakulam has intensified the conflict. Farmers believe desilting the upper tank first will leave the lower tank dry, particularly impacting nearby residents and livestock during the summer months. They propose a phased approach: desilt Chinnakulam, refill it from Periyakulam, and then proceed with cleaning Periyakulam.

The WRD's assistant executive engineer stated that desilting of Periyakulam was planned using CSR funds but was halted due to farmer objections and election code enforcement. He confirmed the department intends to hold discussions with the farmers to resolve this long-standing issue.