Central Water Commission urges WRD to consider advantages of pipeline irrigation for DPR on PAP modernisation  

The Central Water Commission (CWC), Union Ministry of Jal Sakthi, has sought a response from the Water Resources Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, to a suggestion mooted by the Veeranampalayam Water Users Association for prioritising micro-irrigation in the Detailed Project Report for modernisation of Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP) main canal.

Reaching out to the CWC, P. Velusamy, president of the Veeranampalayam Water Users Association said the full benefits of the PAP project were yet to reach a section of farmers, and that the DPR being readied at a cost of ₹7.08 crore envisages canal rehabilitation using plain cement concrete, instead of reinforced cement concrete as specified by CWC guidelines.

Mr. Velusamy, who is also the president of PAP Vellakovil Branch Canal (Kangayam-Vellakoil) Water Conservation Association, said that while the DPR has been promoted as ‘modernisation’, the project, going by the information gathered from officials, makes a provision only for rehabilitation of dilapidated concrete.

It was disheartening that the WRD was following outdated guidelines framed during 1984. The advancements in irrigation practices and evolving needs of the sector must be considered in the DPR to prevent water conveyance loss in excess of 40%.

Over 3,000 violations of water theft have been registered by the WRD along the PAP canal passing through Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts, Mr. Velusamy said.

There were definitive advantages in pipeline irrigation, since water supply efficiency could exceed even 95% as water seepage and evaporation could be evaded.

Maintenance cost could also be kept minimal, and the need for periodic expenditure for desilting of the canal would not arise. Also, water quality could be maintained at optimum level, Mr. Velusamy said.

The channel could easily be converted to a pipeline irrigation system with transparency in implementing modern pipeline irrigation that was already a proven success.

In the context of the ‘Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana’ promoting ‘Per Drop More Crop’, micro-irrigation through pipeline and drip-irrigation will be the best choice, he added.