Plea to repair LBP canal before water release

Keel Bhavani Vivasayigal Nala Sangam has urged the Public Works Department (PWD) to carry out repair works to the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) canal as water could be released for irrigation in August.

Addressing media persons here on Thursday, its secretary S. Nallasamy said that South West Monsoon had began and the water catchment areas were expected to receive copious water in the coming days. Since water was expected to be released for irrigation in the canal in August, officials should carry out repair works so that water in the canal was not wasted due to leakages. “Usually, repair works are done in the canal after the date for water release is announced,” he said and added that such works were incomplete and wanted the works to begin at the earliest.

Mr. Nallasamy said that as per the water-sharing arrangements finalised by the Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal that was later upheld by Supreme Court, water management should be effectively implemented in sharing water from Bhavani Sagar Reservoir. As per the order, 8.13 tmc was fixed for carrying out agriculture in areas irrigated by the old ayacuts of Kodiveri and Kalingarayan canal while 27.95 tmc was fixed for areas irrigated under LBP canal. “Water-sharing should be followed as per the orders and water should not be released to other areas citing drought”, he said.

He said that stressing on the need to implement water management in Bhavani Sagar Reservoir in the current season, the association would be holding a conference at Erode on July 23.

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