Residents of Velapadi village near Arani town in Tiruvannamalai blocked the Arani-Vandavasi Main Road on Tuesday against dumping of garbage on the irrigation tank in the village.
The residents said the irrigation tank, spread over 150 acres, remains the lifeline for farmers in at least eight villages, including Velapadi, Samanthavadi, Kalpoondi, Meyyur, and Iyyampalayam that come under Arani taluk, to irrigate farmlands at least twice a year. During summer, the tank, which still has water in it, helps to recharge ground water and retains water level in wells in these villages. The tank also helps farmers to earn supplement income by way of fishing in the waterbody.
Local bodies like Velapadi panchayat have also sunk deep borewells on the bund of the tank to draw water for its residents. “ The waterbody has been turned into an open dump yard by the municipality, which is 2.5 km away from Velapadi village. Many times, conservancy workers of the civic body also burn the waste dumped on the bund of the tank,” said K. Perumal, a resident.
