Chennai, 6 December (H.S.) : The Tamil Nadu government has granted administrative sanction for a special fund of ₹10 crore earmarked for the immediate and extensive desilting of the Parambikulam–Aliyar Project (PAP) canal network. This significant financial move, confirmed by the Water Resources Department (WRD), is aimed at boosting irrigation efficiency across the rain-shadow regions served by the project in western Tamil Nadu.

The funds will finance 154 specific works across the system’s three major divisions—Thirumurthy, Parambikulam, and Aliyar basin—which include the critical task of clearing accumulated debris and removing heavy vegetation from both the primary and minor canals. Officials have stated that the desilting operations are scheduled to begin as soon as the current water release cycle to the fourth zone is concluded. The priority is to finish all maintenance work before the Pongal festival to ensure the timely and unrestricted flow of water for the first zone's irrigation schedule.

This swift action is a response to persistent demands from local farming communities and irrigation associations. The comprehensive clean-up is projected to enhance water delivery to the entire ayacut (irrigated area) of over 1.33 lakh hectares spanning Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin originally announced the allocation back in August, emphasizing the project’s critical role as a vital inter-basin water transfer scheme for the region.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary