Encroachments along water channel demolished in Ranipet
Encroachments, mostly houses, obstructing the flow of water to a channel near the waterbodies in Vepperi village near Nemili townn, Ranipet, were demolished on Saturday.
Officials of the Water Resources Department (WRD), which executed the demolition drive, said that most of the houses (around 15 structures) were constructed along the water channel many years ago. These illegal structures were proper houses with electricity and water connections provided by the local body. The encroachments continued to disrupt the waterflow for years as the residents had filed petitions against eviction.
Most of the farmlands in the region depend on the water from nearby irrigation tanks for cultivation. Illegal structures blocked the flow of excess rainwater gushing into the irrigation tanks – Sitheri, Periya eri, and Kothan eri.
“The demolition drive was mainly to restore the original width of the channel to discharge the entire excess rainwater into these tanks. Nemili taluk has the largest area under paddy cultivation in the district,” S. Jagan, Assistant Engineer (AE), WRD (Nemili), told The Hindu.
Each irrigation tank, on an average, is spread across around 30 hectares. They help in irrigating 1,400 hectares of agricultural lands in the region. Paddy is the main crop in Nemili taluk that comprises more than 80 farming villages. Due to encroachments on the water channel, all three irrigation tanks were not filled to their full capacity during monsoon. This resulted in depleting water resources, with more farmers becoming dependent on deep borewells dug up to 1,100 feet to pump water for the crops.
Based on an order passed by the Madras High Court to demolish encroachments on the channel, a team of WRD and revenue, and police personnel oversaw the eviction drive on Saturday. The drive restored the original width of the water channel – about one kilometre long.
Revenue officials said that, as per norms, each affected family is eligible for at least three cents of land as compensation if they fulfil the criteria, which includes the beneficiaries not having any land property to their names.
The affected residents said they have been living in the existing houses for years. They demanded an alternative land near the demolished houses.
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