Vaigai dam will be desilted to ensure assured irrigation for farmers of Usilampatti: Palaniswami

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, has promised to desilt Vaigai dam to ensure assured irrigation for the farmers of Usilampatti through 58-Village Canal Irrigation Scheme.

Addressing people of Usilampatti Assembly constituency in Madurai district on Thursday night, Mr. Palaniswami said that Vaigai dam has remained silted up for several years. “In order to store more water in the dam, the reservoir would be desilted after the AIADMK Government comes back to power. Water is like life for irrigating farm lands,” he said.

Once the storage in Vaigai dam is increased, it would be possible to release water through 58-Village Canal Scheme to benefit the farmers of Usilampatti.

“Under the DMK Government, the farmers of Usilampatti are forced to stage protest everytime to get water for irrigation,” he added.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami waving at the crowd during the ‘Makkalai Kaappom’, Thamilagathai Meetpom campaign in sholavandan Assembly constituency in vadipatti Madurai district on Thursday.
| Photo Credit:
G. MOORTHY

All the irrigation tanks in Usilampatti would be filled up with water so that the farmers get assured irrigation, he added. The irrigation management body which functioned under the AIADMK Government would be revived when AIADMK comes back to power which will ensure release of water for irrigation every year without fail.

The Leader of Opposition recalled that the AIADMK Government had allocated a massive ₹1,700 crore for “kudimaramathu” scheme to desilt and strengthening the irrigation tanks across the State. However, the DMK Government has stopped the scheme, which was a boon to the farmers, he complained.

Around 2,800 students of government schools in Tamil Nadu got admission to medical seats only because of the 7.5% horizontal reservation given to students of Government schools by the AIADMK Government. “Since, these students came from poor economic families, the Government bore the entire educational expenses,” he added.

Earlier, he addressed the people of Sholavandan Assembly seat at Vadipatti.

Mr. Palaniswami accused of irregularies in issuing tokens to bulls participating in the famous jallikattu events in Alanganallur and Palamedu. He said when AIADMK Government is restored, suggestion of all stake-holders would be implemented to ensure participation of local bulls.

Party Madurai rural district secretary, R.B. Udhayakumar, was present.

Mr. Palaniswami, who started his ‘Makkalai Kaappom, Tamilagathai Meetpom’ campaign in Madurai district on Monday, wound up at Usilampatti after visiting all the 10 Assembly seats in Madurai district.