Widening of Virudhunagar-Aruppukottai highway has destroyed wild stream near Palayampatti

Lack of proper planning during the widening of the Virudhunagar–Aruppukottai highway has destroyed a wild stream that supplies runoff rainwater to a chain of tanks in the region, farmers have alleged. Despite having raised the issue with the Revenue Divisional Officer, Aruppukottai, and Virudhunagar Collector N.O. Sukhaputra over a week ago, no inspection has been made by the Highways engineers so far to take up corrective measures, they said. The Southern Districts Farmers' Association had raised the issue at the monthly farmers' grievance redress meetings held at the Revenue Divisional Officer level and the district level. The Collector had instructed the Highways officials to inspect the spot and take up corrective measures. "However, till date no action has been taken," said J. Ramajeyam, a farmer from Aruppukottai. The farmers complained that the stream, which was around 20 feet wide, had been narrowed down to between two and eight feet at different stretches. "The Highways Department should have taken up land acquisition to shift the stream that has been running parallel to the road for over 3 km between Palavanatham and Aruppukottai. However, instead, the officials chose to encroach upon the stream," said R. Ram Pandian, Virudhunagar district president of the association. "The entire area is rain-fed. Runoff water from the farmlands on the southern side of the region would run into the stream and supply over 25 waterbodies, from ooranies to irrigation tanks," said Mr. Ramajeyam. The farmers raise sorghum, maize and barnyard millet (kuthiravali) between August and December, depending on the rainfall. "This is the only crop we could raise in the entire year. However, we fear that many tanks in the northern parts would not get sufficient water. Puliyampatti alone has irrigation land for around 5,000 acres," he said. Besides denying water to the farmers on the northern side, the lack of a stream to ensure the free flow of water would result in waterlogging in the farmlands on the southern side and destroy the crops, the farmers apprehended. In a letter dated July 28 addressed to farmer V. Jayakumar, the Sub-Divisional Engineer (Highways) contended that the stream had been disrupted due to the construction of the toe wall for laying the widened road on a raised structure. However, after the work is completed, the stream would be restored within the Highways land to ensure the free flow of rainwater. But the farmers insisted that the officials acquire land to restore the stream to its original width for the uninterrupted flow of water.