Proposal for fencing vulnerable hotspots along PAP canal under Namakku Naame scheme stuck in red tape

The proposal mooted last year by the farmers in Kangeyam-Vellakoil belt for fencing of the PAP canal at vulnerable locations under Namakku Naame scheme to prevent dumping of wastes is apparently stuck in red tape.

The stench emanating from the dumps along the PAP distributary canal at Kannapuram near Kangeyam is a tell-tale evidence of the absence of coordination between government departments for fructification of the fencing proposal.

Farmers are a worried lot since the flow in the 27 km-long branch canal is crucial for irrigating about 48,382 acres of agricultural land.

In a case of ‘one step forward and two steps backward’, the proposal that seemed to take off with an estimate readied by Kangeyam Municipality last year, now appears grounded as the Pongalur Panchayat has still not acted on the latest No Objection Certificate given during October by the Water Resources Department to measure the identified locations along the canal in its jurisdiction where fencing is required.

Due to the dumping of wastes along the PAP canal at Senjerimalai, Sultanpet and Pongalur by poultry units and by the local bodies, all sluices along the branch canal are clogged with the wastes.

Last year, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board had, acting on representation by the affected farmers, submitted a report to the district administration confirming the dumping of solid waste and plastic, liquor bottles and dead hens on the banks of PAP Vellakoil Branch Canal (Kangeyam-Vellakovil), after inspecting the 27-km long Kangayam-Vellakovil stretch of the PAP branch canal and some of the stretches in Pongalur Panchayat.

Wastes dumped “on the banks and inside the canal arrests the natural course of water,” the report said.

Analysis of the water samples collected at the branch canal in the District Environmental Laboratory revealed severe impacts on water quality and ecosystem health of the canal, affecting livelihood of local communities and posing a threat to public health.

“Almost all sluice gates are accumulated with plastic wastes and solid wastes which arrests the natural course of water. Most of the solid wastes and debris are dumped at the Kangeyam Municipality, Veeranampalayam Panchayat, Paapini Panchayat, and Vellakovil Municipality,” the TNPCB report said.

In the Pongalur stretch, on the rear side of government school ground and Ayyappa Nagar, poultry and municipal solid wastes are dumped on both sides of the canal.

“Sluice gates are designed to regulate the flow of water in channels or canals, and any kind of obstruction in the channel can affect the gate’s performance. The gate may not be able to open or close properly, or may get stuck in one position,” the report said.

The hot spots that require immediate attention are Kangayam Municipality stretch, Illaimputhur Colony, Pongalur Thottampatti Road stretch, Ayyappa Nagar, Vavipalayam bridge, and Periya Vadambacheri bridge, the TNPCB report said, advocating compliance with Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 by the local body.

Most importantly, the TNPCB recommended proper fencing at hotspots and installation of CCTV cameras, provision for Water Resources Department to levy penalty on erring local bodies, and deployment of a separate work force for monitoring the entire stretch of the 130-km PAP canal.

The estimates of ₹37 lakh by Kangeyam Municipality and ₹6 lakh by Pongalur Panchayat Union authorities just remains on paper, rue functionaries of Water User Associations in Vellakovil-Kangeyam belt.

The authorities of Pongalur Panchayat, when contacted, maintained that there has been no such communication from the WRD on measuring locations along the irrigation canal for fencing purpose.

“The obstacles are causing frustration. The district administration has to step in and prevail upon the Pongalur Panchayat to complete the measurement process,” PAP Vellakoil Branch Water Conservation Association (Kangayam-Vellakoil) president P Velusamy, said.

Published - November 07, 2024 08:01 pm IST