WRD warns public against fixing unauthorised pipelines across PAP main canal at Sultanpet

The Water Resources Department is understood to have warned the public against fixing pipelines without permission across the Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP) main canal at Sultanpet near the Aavin Chilling Centre.

Out of the over 15 pipelines fixed across the PAP main canal, a few have been authorised for supply of drinking water to Varapatti village. Some of the pipelines were laid for movement of irrigation water from one field to another across the main canal.

The department has dismantled four pipelines fixed without permission. Other than the ones meant for supplying drinking water, the rest of the pipelines will also be reviewed. Notices have been issued to the farmers who had fixed the pipelines, official sources said.

Old pipelines had to be removed for re-construction of a bridge by the State Highways Department across the main canal for the road connecting Senjerimalai.

The department had permitted re-fixing of the pipelines by the Varapatti panchayat.

Expressing dismay over the “unauthorised” pipelines, farmers in the tail-end of PAP main canal have attributed such “arbitrary” acts due to “political” influence as the cause for the shortage in water realisation in the Kangayam-Vellakoil belt towards the end of the 126-km PAP main canal.