Kizhbavani ryots stage stir

Farmers staged a protest on Monday by besieging the office of the Executive Engineer of the Erode Water Resources Department as there was no agreement in the talks regarding the release of water for Kilbhavani irrigation.

In the Lower Bhavani irrigation area, water was released from the Bhavanisagar dam on January 7 for dry crop cultivation. Following that, it was announced that 11.5 TMC water will be opened for 67 days till May 1.

Accordingly, the last phase of water has not been opened from Apt 18th to 1st May due to the low water availability in the dam.

So,  the ryots plan to picket the office on April 17th to demand the release of water from the dam. Following this, Chennimalai police arrested M. Ravi, coordinator of Kilbhavani Irrigation Protection Operation.

Following this, the police, who held talks with the farmers, said that after the Lok Sabha polls, the ryots could hold talks with Minister S.Muthusamy and find a solution to the problem. Accepting this, the farmers gave up the struggle.

In this case, the ryots Ravi, Small Farmers association Leader K.R. Suthandrarasu, and others besieged the office at around 7 pm on Monday.

They said that: The Minister S.Muthusamy said that he will inform the decision on Monday after talking to the officials.

Accordingly, when we met with the minister, he said that there is a limited amount of water in the hydropower dams of the Nilgiri district.

It will be sufficient only for the drinking water needs of Coimbatore, Tirupur and Erode districts. Due to this, the officials informed that the water cannot be opened for the irrigation.  Following this, we have been engaged in a stir insisting that water should be provided to us as per the government order. They dispersed after the officials held talks with them.