The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has ordered an interim injunction restraining the authorities from implementing the Sivaganga Integrated Drinking Water Scheme at Maruthur near Kulithalai in Karur district.
A Division Bench of Justices R. Subramanian and L. Victoria Gowri was hearing the public interest litigation petition filed by Makkal NaIa Alosanai Mayam represented by its president K. Virumandi of Tiruchi district who said that the groundwater resource and agricultural activities around Karur and Tiruchi districts would be affected due to the Integrated Drinking Water Scheme.
The petitioner said that river Cauvery was the main source for agricultural activities and drinking water. There were more than One lakh hectares of agricultural land in Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Karur districts which depend on river Cauvery.
Several Integrated Drinking Water Schemes are being implemented and the water from river Cauvery was distributed to meet the drinking water needs. Due to this and sand quarrying in the region, the groundwater level had depleted and agricultural activities had been affected, he said.
Under these circumstances, another scheme was launched to distribute water to Sivaganga district. As per the government order, the capacity of drawing water per day would start from 50 million litres per day (MLD) which will be raised to 86.5 MLD. There are about 60 MLD of water already drawn from river Cauvery, he said.
The petitioner said that the association was not against providing drinking water to any district but requested the construction of check dams with shutters at Maruthur to Umalaypuram village since there was a feasibility to construct the check dam which will improve the groundwater level and irrigation.
However, the Sivaganga Integrated Drinking Water Scheme was being implemented and nearing completion without constructing the check dam. No announcement has been made about the check dam, he said. The court has adjourned the hearing in the matter till October 14.
Published – October 01, 2024 10:09 pm IST
