Lower Bhavani Project Canal
{{Short description|Irrigation canal in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2018}}
{{Infobox canal
|name = Lower Bhavani Project Canal
|image = Lower Bavani canael.JPG
|image_size = 300px
|image_caption = Canal near Perundurai
|date_act =
|date_began =
|date_use =
|date_completed =
|len_ft =
|beam_ft =
|branch = Thadapalli channel
Arakankottai channel
|branch_of = Bhavani River
|length_mi = 125
|status = open
|navigation_authority =
}}
Lower Bhavani Project Canal is a {{convert|125|mi|km|adj=on|disp=flip}} long irrigation canal which runs in Erode district in Tamil Nadu, India. The canal is a valley-side contour canal, fed by Bhavanisagar Dam and irrigates 2.07 lakh hectares of land.[https://web.archive.org/web/20121103131500/http://www.hindu.com/2008/11/27/stories/2008112756750500.htm Breach in LBP Canal plugged]The Hindu (Tamil Nadu), 27 Nov 2008[http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0444e/A0444E03.htm Large Scale Irrigation Systems] The main canal feeds Thadapalli and Arakkankottai channels which irrigate the cultivable lands.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0444e/A0444E03.htm|title=Large Scale Irrigation Systems|access-date=26 January 2016}} The canal was the brainchild M.A Eswaran, member of the legislative assembly of the Erode constituency in the early 1950s.
Opposition to Concrete Lining
In 2013, the government of Tamil Nadu took up the project of the concrete lining of the LBP canal, however, it was dropped after farmers heavily opposed it.{{Cite web |last=Leader |first=The Weekend |title=Lower Bhavani Project canal now irrigates land and recharges ground water |url=https://www.theweekendleader.com/Causes/1711/farmers-woe.html |access-date=2023-05-01 |website=www.theweekendleader.com |language=English}} Now again after several years, the government has planned to start this project , by just referring to renovation works which include concrete lining.{{Cite web |title=Modernisation of LBP canal set to begin on May 1: TN Minister |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2023/apr/27/modernisation-of-lbp-canal-set-to-begin-on-may-1-tn-minister-2569726.html |access-date=2023-05-01 |website=The New Indian Express}} According to many farmers, if the project gets started, it will severely affect the recharge of underground water,{{Cite web |title=No new concrete constructions should come up on LBP canal: DMK leader |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2023/apr/11/no-new-concrete-constructions-should-come-up-on-lbp-canal-dmk-leader-2564623.html |access-date=2023-05-01 |website=The New Indian Express}} thereby posing a serious threat to the whole agriculture ecosystem and domestic water supply system and directly affecting lakhs of farmers and ordinary citizens living in the districts of Erode, Tiruppur and Karur. According to them, groundwater will not be replenished and the entire region will be turned into a desert.
Some farmers support concrete lining, but majority of farmers living in this region oppose concrete lining.{{Cite news |author=Staff Reporter |date=2022-05-16 |title=Farmers oppose cleaning bunds of LBP canal |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/farmers-oppose-cleaning-bunds-of-lbp-canal/article65419172.ece |access-date=2023-05-01 |issn=0971-751X}} These districts receive low rainfall and are classified as semi-arid regions and this canal is the only source of water for all the people living here. Several Panchayats and Municipalities depend on this canal for domestic water supply. Massive demonstrations and protests were also held against this concrete lining.
References
{{Reflist}}
See also
{{Bhavani River}}
{{Erode-geo-stub}}
{{India-transport-stub}}