Villagers hopeful of renovation of Periya Aruvi Reservoir to sustain farming near Melur

Madurai Villagers hope that renovation of Periya Aruvi Reservoir may sustain farming activities near Melur.

The recent announcement made by Chief Minister that ₹2.6 crore has been sanctioned for the renovation of the Periya Aruvi Reservoir located in Kesampatti panchayat in Kottampatti union and also its 26 feeder tanks has been welcomed by farmers in the region.

The reservoir was opened in 1962 by the then Agriculture Minister Kakkan and PWD Minister V. Ramaiah. Built to collect rainwater flowing down from Azhagarmalai, this reservoir has a storage level of 23.6 mcft. Of late due to changing climatic conditions, this region in Melur has been seeing insufficient rainfall and the storage capacity in the reservoir has also dipped. 

With the northeast monsoon on its way out, the reservoir as on date has only 10 feet of water. Farmers fear that a scorching summer would again make the reservoir bone dry.

Though it is a rain-fed agricultural belt, Senthil from Sekkipatti  says that farmers here had been into paddy cultivation for many years but with monsoon playing truant, many have shifted to coconut and mango cultivation.

A. Sevugaperumal from Sekkipatti, who has 10 acres of land, says “My land is the first to get water if the shutters of the reservoir opens. But for 10 years no water has come. My lands are lying fallow and now I have switched over to farming groundnut in some portion of my land.”

He blames massive encroachments on the feeder canals and also the unchecked growth of Prosopis juliflora.

Another farmer C. Vellakannu, who has one acre of land, says many large-scale farmers in the area have gone in for borewell irrigation.

“Tapping this water source they are able to go in for drip irrigation making it easier to raise coconut and mangoes,” he points out and adds that for farmers like him with small land holdings, agriculture is no longer a feasible option.

Echoing the same sentiments, C. Vellakannu, another farmer, says that the recent announcement by the Chief Minister is a favourable development because for more than three years no steps have been taken to desilt the various feeder canals of the reservoir.

A WRD official says renovation work will soon begin on the reservoir that has an ayacut of about 860 acres. “Though of late there is less storage of water due to sparse rainfall activity in Azhagarmalai, the reservoir has helped increase the groundwater level in the region. Being in the foothills the water table in these parts is also high,” he adds.

Upkeep of Periya Aruvi Reservoir and the feeder tanks will help recharge the water sources. With replenishing aquifers, there will be a stable underground water supply and it will surely help farmers go in for less water-intensive crops, says the official.