Kudimaramathu (desilting waterbodies)
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The 2017 version
Tiruchi district
‘Kudimaramathu’ is the traditional practice of stakeholders taking part in maintenance and management of irrigation systems.
The government initiative aims at reviving this practice by involving members of registered ayacut of the respective waterbodies.
The Paganur tank, Suriyur Big Tank, Ootathur, Veeramachanpatti, Serkudi and Soorampatti tanks are among the tanks that are to be renovated under the initiative in the Ariyar division. The Peruvalai canal, Nandiyar Main Canal, the Kudamuritti drainage canal and the Madhanam tanks are among the water courses in the River Conservation Division that are to be renovated in the district.
The Paganur tank in Srirangam taluk has a capacity to hold 20.02 million cubic feet with a registered ayacut of 60.23 hectares.
It has five sluices but three of them are in a damaged condition and so is one of the two weirs. The supply channel and the surplus courses have been heavily silted up, affecting free flow of water.
At times of floods, there is water stagnation.
Farmers in the area have been frequently representing the issue and have been seeking the repair of the sluices and weir and the removal of silt, PWD officials said. The rehabilitation work taken up t an estimate of Rs. 9.90 lakh would help stabilise cultivation in the ayacut area and also help meet drinking water requirements, the officials said.
In what is seen as a partial response to the long-pending demand of the farmers to desilt and dredge waterbodies to conserve available water, especially during monsoon or whenever water flows down the rivers, the State government on Monday launched the latest variant of ‘kudimaramathu.’
The original concept involved the farmers and water users directly in the renovation and desilting works while mechanised work through hand-picked contractors is the mode of operation in the current episode.
