Activists and farmers from Tirupattur district have sought funding to rejuvenate the Palar river in the region.
The river, originating in Karnataka, flowing through Andhra Pradesh enters Pullur village and flows across Madhanur to reach neighbouring Vellore district.
Speaking on the upper Palar river basin, A. Asokan, a resident of Ambalur and member of Reversal of Ecology Committee, said water continued to flow into Palar river till 2017, whenever there was heavy downpour.
Due to monsoon failure and negligence of rights of farmers in the region, the river has started dying, he claimed.
To save it from further deterioration it should be revived in order to save residents of this region from drought.
The Palar river should be rejuvenated using CSR funds, received before the district was split, he added.
There are few tributaries for Palar which bring rainwater into the stream. The ‘seema karuvelam’ trees on these tributaries should be removed and efforts should be made to increase the height of dykes in Kodaiyanji, Udhayendhiram and Alangkuppam by three feet, he added.
According to officials of the Public Works Department, surplus water from the checkdam constructed by the Andhra Pradesh government near Pullur panchayat, Vellore district, had been flowing into the river.
Mr. Asokan said plea to officials to desilt channels leading from Palar to two waterbodies – Nagaleri and Kodaiyanchi Eri – did not produce any result.
“I have submitted a petition to District Collector M.P. Sivanarul for taking up rejuvenation work before the onset of monsoon. Hopefully he would take appropriate action immediately,” he added.
