Chennai, Nov 26 – The Water Resources Department (WRD) has announced that the next fill of the fourth irrigation zone under the Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP) will only proceed once critical damage along the main canal is repaired.
Inspectors are now scouting the 124‑km length of the canal for weak spots, and the most urgent repairs are being carried out first.
On 13 November a serious breach opened at Vavipalayam near Palladam in Tiruppur district, where the bank of the PAP main canal gave way.
The spill, which was fed by water released from the Thirumurthy dam at Udumalaipet, flooded fields, homes and even a school, prompting local officials to close the affected school for safety.
Immediately after the rupture, the WRD stopped drawing water from the Thirumurthy dam.
To curb further damage and prevent water wastage, the flow that was already moving was redirected at the 46‑km marker of the canal into the Uppar dam at Dharapuram, Tiruppur.
With a storage capacity of 576 m³ ft and a depth of 24 feet, the Uppar dam is intended to hold excess water from the PAP system.
The diversion proved a welcome respite for farmers who had recently requested additional inflow into the reservoir.
However, discharge from the Thirumurthy dam has been on hold for several days following the incident, leaving many growers uneasy.
Because the fifth fill is essential for standing crops, farmers are urging the WRD to speed up the repairs and guarantee an uninterrupted supply as soon as possible.
GV Viveganandan, Secretary of the PAP Welfare Association, emphasized the need for a swift restoration.
“There should not be any delay in releasing irrigation water, yet the most damaged sections must be fixed immediately. For example, the bank at the 86.9‑km point has suffered severe damage and requires urgent attention,” he said.
A senior WRD official reported that three heavily damaged spots have been pinpointed along the canal.
“The repair work is underway and should finish within a few days. Once that’s complete, water will be released for the next round of the fourth zone. Normally we provide 15 days of water for the fifth fill, but in this case we are planning up to nine days,” the official added.
Farmers believe that even a shorter window would help, as long as the release starts without further delay.
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