Farmers in Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, and Nilgiris face water scarcity for irrigation as the Water Resources Organisation stops releasing water from 24 dams due to poor rains, conserving water for drinking projects.
Coimbatore: The farming communities in Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode, and Nilgiris are facing a critical water shortage as the Water Resources Organisation (WRO) ceases water release from 24 dams across the Coimbatore zone, prioritizing drinking water conservation amidst inadequate rainfall.
Official records reveal the water level in all the major dams of the Coimbatore zone has dropped low. The water level in Bhavani Sagar Dam is 48 feet (full depth: 105 ft, Amaravathi Dam is 46.16 feet (full depth: 90 ft), Parambikulam Dam is 19.36 ft (full depth: 72 ft), Aliyar Dam is 55.3 ft (full depth: 120 ft), Sholayar dam is 6.16 ft (full depth: 160 ft) and Thirumoorthi Dam is 50.64 ft (full depth: 60 f).
Federation of Farmers’ Association secretary C Nallusamy highlights the impact of a disappointing monsoon season on water availability, despite moderate rainfall during the North-East Monsoon period. Complaints regarding water management inefficiencies have been lodged, yet accountability remains elusive.
Former Joint Director of Agriculture for the Tiruppur Division, S Manoharan, raises concerns about the absence of summer showers further exacerbating water levels in dams and groundwater resources. This predicament threatens to induce a drought-like condition, affecting over 7 lakh acres of combined irrigation areas in the four districts.
Chief Engineer of WRO-PWD for the Coimbatore Zone, P Sivalingam, explains the strategic conservation of water for drinking purposes in light of the summer shower shortfall. The closure of dam shutters, including the imminent closure of the Bhavani Sagar Dam, signifies a dire situation for agricultural activities, with the WRO holding back water in anticipation of rain.
The measure aims to ensure the continuation of drinking water projects, affecting not just agricultural but also drinking water supplies across the districts.