Farmers lay siege to the WRD office at Erode

Several farmers belonging to Kizbavani Irrigation Conservation Movement today besieged  the Erode Water Resources Department (WRD) office. Movement coordinators Ravi, Swattanararasu, Venkatachalam, and Sengottaiyan said: OGO 276 has been issued to repair the Lower Bhavani irrigation canal. Following the demands of the farmers, GO 60 has been issued recently with some amendments. But Irrigation Council farmers got stay on that GO from the High Court. So, release of water to the nanjai crop in the Kizbavani irrigated area will be delayed. Crops will dry up. Therefore, the government should immediately take steps to remove this stay order. If not, the farmers will hold a protest stir on July 12. Renovation work should be expedited to release water for irrigation from August 15 as per schedule.  water for all three major irrigations in the ayacut should be released at a time.  Direct withdrawal of water from Bhavanisagar dam to areas like Punjaipuliambatti and Sathyamangalam for drinking water schemes should be prevented. Water released from Bhavanisagar Dam is stolen from Bhavani River. It should be prevented. Water should not be wasted from Bhavanisagar dam in the name of trial run of Athikadavu Avinasi project. Thus they said. Later they submitted petitions to the Water Resources Department officials.