Over 1,000 tanks in Dindigul district have been taken up for desilting, says Collector at farmers’ grievance redress meeting

Collector S. Saravanan receiving petitions from a farmer at the grievance redress meeting held at Dindigul Collectorate on Friday.

| Photo Credit: KARTHIKEYAN G

Dindigul district administration has so far desilted 350 tanks out of 1,056 waterbodies, said Collector S. Saravanan here on Friday.Speaking at the monthly farmers’ grievance redress meeting, he said that about 180 tanks are being desilted and the rest of the tanks would be desilted with funds from the State Finance. Along with the desilting works, the bunds were also being strengthened wherever required, he responded.During the last grievance meeting, the officials had received 113 petitions and 53 among them were redressed or settled, while 11 petitions were rejected for different reasons and 49 petitions were taken in for redressal, the Collector said.Farmers from Nilakottai taluk said that water was becoming a major problem for the taluk. The storage level in Manjalar dam should be increased. They also wanted the authorities to explore the possibility of establishing a new channel from Raja Vaikkal to Seerapatti tank through Tamaraikulam, Narasingapuram, Veera Sikanpatti and Michaelpalayam. This would benefit conserving water in Seerapatti tank and also enable the water table to improve substantially.The Collector said that they would examine the feasibility and if it could be implemented, the proposal would be taken up with the government for approval.Crop loan denialMany farmers from Vedasandur led by Periasami, a farmer said that the Devinayakanpatti Cooperative Society has not been giving crop loans. The officials rejected the applications under some pretext or the other, they complained. They also alleged that the Kudakanaaru dam was becoming a location for consuming liquor by some locals and urged the Collector to intervene.A farmer from Kodaikanal Poondi said that the solar fencing in the locality had become a hindrance for the free movement of villagers and wanted it to be stopped.A farmer Chelladurai from Sirumalai said that they were at a loss due to poor pricing for guava and also sought help for monetary relief as the crops were damaged by wild animals. The Collector assured help at the earliest and directed the Horticulture Department officials to take stock of the loss. He also suggested them to take the opinion from the Forest Department to protect the crops from animal destruction.When some of the farmers wanted uzhavar sandhai to be established in Batlagundu, Assistant Director (Agriculture) Uma said that the government was prepared to open up farmers’ shandy and wanted the farmers’ participation. Published - August 22, 2025 07:24 pm IST