Chennai, Dec 28 : The Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department (WRD) has acknowledged that several waterbodies under the Athikadavu-Avinashi irrigation project did not receive adequate water this year and assured that priority would be given to these areas during the next monsoon season.

The flagship project, which became operational on August 17, 2024, aims to divert surplus water from the Bhavani River to rejuvenate 1,045 waterbodies across Coimbatore, Tiruppur and Erode districts. As part of the project, 1.5 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of water was allocated for distribution this year. However, farmers in several regions have raised concerns over insufficient water supply.

According to them, many tanks and ponds received only partial inflow, leaving agricultural activity severely affected despite the project being operational for more than a year. S. Appusamy, president of the Tamil Nadu Farmers Association in Pongupalayam Union, said that several waterbodies in the northern parts of Tiruppur district received barely 10 per cent of their capacity. â??Even after the Athikadavu-Avinashi project came into effect, many villages continue to face drought-like conditions. Similar problems exist in parts of Coimbatore and Erode districts as well. There needs to be a permanent and equitable solution,â?? he said.

Responding to the concerns, a senior WRD official explained that the project is dependent on surplus water from the Bhavani River.

â??This year, the southwest monsoon arrived early, and the available surplus water was drawn in advance and supplied to the connected waterbodies. Nearly 95 per cent of the tanks under the project received water,â?? the official said.

However, he admitted that around 5 per cent of the waterbodies could not be fully supplied due to technical issues such as damaged pipelines, blockages, and malfunctioning Outlet Management Systems (OMS). â??These issues affected the flow in certain areas, and corrective measures are planned,â?? the official added.

He also clarified that no further water release is possible for the current year as the allocated quantity has already been exhausted. â??We are confident that sufficient surplus water will be available again next year, as the Bhavani River has recorded good inflows for the past three consecutive years. Priority will be given to waterbodies that received inadequate supply this time,â?? the official said.

Farmers, meanwhile, have urged the government to ensure timely maintenance and equitable distribution so that the projectâ??s full benefits reach all intended regions.

/IANS