Farmers’ association demand desilting of all 8 minor dams in Virudhunagar district
A farmers' association in Virudhunagar has requested the government to desilt eight minor dams to improve water storage capacity. They argue that years of neglect and silt accumulation have significantly reduced the dams' effectiveness ahead of the monsoon season.
Why it matters
Effective water management is critical for agricultural stability in regions prone to climate-related rainfall volatility.
Southern Districts Farmers’ Association has appealed to the State Government to desilt all eight minor dams in Virudhunagar district, considering the adverse effects of El Niño.
In a statement, its spokesperson, R. Ram Pandian, said that the dams had not been desilted for several years and this has led to reduction of their water-holding capacity by 40%.
He said the Water Resources Department carries out kudimaramathu (maintenance) work on irrigation tanks every year. However, the work mostly involves strengthening the bunds and repairing the sluices. The officials do not take up desilting work, which has led to a reduction in the water-holding capacity. Thus, whenever it rains, the irrigation tanks get filled up fast, and the surplus water wastefully drains into the sea.
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