‘Concrete-lining of LBP canal will affect farming’

Since concrete-lining of Lower Bhavan Project (LBP) canal will prevent recharging of groundwater which, in turn, will affect the farming activities, Karthikeya Sivasenapathy, secretary of Environmental Wing of DMK, has urged the government to drop the project.

In a release, he said that the 201-km canal helped in irrigating 2.70 lakh acres in Erode, Tiruppur and Karur districts.

In 2013, the then AIADMK government proposed concrete-lining of the canal and due to stiff opposition by the ayacut farmers, the project was dropped. But, after seven years, the government had floated tenders for executing the work. “Instead of naming it as concrete-lining works, the government had floated tenders for renovation and restoration of the canal at ₹178 crore”, the release said and added that if the project is executed, over 80,000 trees along the canal will be cut.

The release said that concrete-lining will prevent seepage affecting the recharge of groundwater which affects wells and borewells.

Also, farming activities cannot be carried out in over one lakh acres of land and drinking water shortage will emerge, he added.

Concrete canals established under the Parambikulam – Aliyar and Mullaperiyar schemes had failed and hence, the government should consult stakeholders and decide on executing the project, he added.