Ryots picket collectorate against LBP canal concretisation project

Hundreds of ryots picketed Collectorate on Monday and submitted a petition to the newly assumed Collector Rajagopal Sunkara against the LBP canal concretisation project.
They were led by LBP ryots irrigation protection movement coordinators Murungathozhuvu Ravi, KR Sudantararasu, Venkatachalam, and Sengottaiyan. They demanded withdrawal of GO 276 paving way for concretisation of the entire canal, bunds, its branches and channels etc which could arrest water seepages, percolation into the earth and lead to felling down of thousands of trees etc.  A case in this regard is pending in the Green Tribunal. So, the ongoing works under the project would hit ryots and environment badly. Hence, only old damaged structures should alone be renovated under the project. Other works could be initiated only after holding election in democratic manner to the 44 irrigation councils of the canal and hearing its views. The views of the present unelected councils should not be considered for the modernisation work. The earthern bunds of the canal were strong for the past 60 years and only the old concrete structures of the canal were broken so far. So, such structures can alone be repaired leaving the earthern bunds and surface as it is, they pleaded.