CM urged to complete Athikadavu-Avinashi project speedily

BJP farmers wing state president GK Nagaraj pleaded to the CM to complete the Athikadavu-Avinashi Project (AAP)cspeedily.In a statement, he said former CM Edappadi K Palanisamy laid the foundation for the  AAP, pending for over 60 years, on 28.02.2019 at a cost of Rs. 1,756.88 crore.

The project aims to irrigate 24,468 acres by pumping surplus 1.5 tmc water of Bhavani river in 1045 small and large ponds in Erode, Tiruppur and Coimbatore districts from the Kalingarayan Dam area where the Bhavani River joins the Cauvery River. In this regard, 6 pumping stations were erected. The most important feature of the scheme is to fill more than ten large ponds in the high, arid region of Avinashi.
Even during the Corona period, when there was a shortage of manpower,  Edappadi Palanisamy brought in engineers and workers on private planes from places like Orissa and Bihar to carry out projects without hindrance.

However, after the DMK government took over, the work was stalled for the past 3 months due to non issuance of GO to give compensation for land owners at Kalingarayanpalam, Nallagoundanpalayam and Mullampatti where pipelines have to be laid for just 4 km while already 96.5% of the work was completed and adequate funds were  allocated. Due to this, the project, which could have been completed in 2021 Pongal itself, was delayed. 

Of 1058 km, pipes were laid for 1054 km in the AAP. If the project has been carried out as planned,  the ponds in the three districts could have been filled up with the surplus 30 TMC water of the Cauvery last year itself.It is a betrayal to the farmers to block the AAP after completion of 96.5 percent  of work, while keen interest was shown  to carry out the Keelpavani canal concretisation  project. 

Therefore, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu should immediately intervene and issue an order to complete the AAP.  Otherwise, the ryots would be forced to start stir for the AAP again, he cautioned.