Collector M. Pradeep Kumar inspecting the operation of a farm implement after inaugurating an exhibition in Tiruchi on Friday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The bed protection wall near the new Kollidam bridge in the city, which as partially damaged during the recent discharge of surplus waters from the Mettur dam, would be restored by the contractor who had built the structure, Collector M. Pradeep Kumar said here on Friday.
The bed protection wall was built by the State Highways Department a few months ago to prevent soil erosion around the pile foundations of the bridge. The wall was dislodged for a length of about 30 metres because of heavy water flow in the river.
Responding to a query at the monthly farmers grievances meeting, the Collector said that the contractor would “restore the structure” as it was still under the “maintenance period.”
Earlier, a cross-section of farmers’ representatives reiterated their plea to the State government to build barrages and check dams across the Cauvery and the Kollidam to enhance the storage capacity to effectively utilise the surplus water. They wanted the implementation of pending proposals such as the Cauvery (Mettur Dam)-Sarabanga-Thirumanimuthar-Ayyar canal link scheme and construction of barrages across the Cauvery at Marudhur and other places. They urged the government to expedite the Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar river linking scheme.
Some farmers’ representatives urged the district administration to take steps to check the quality of paddy seeds sold in the open market to prevent sale of spurious seeds. The Department of Seed Certification had limited strength of officials and officials of revenue and other departments should be deployed to conduct the checks, they said.
They pointed out that several farmers suffered losses last year due to the spurious seeds sold in the open market. The farmers wanted the officials to ensure that quality paddy seeds were made available.
Earlier, the Collector inaugurated an exhibition of farm appliances and machines at the Collector’s office complex organised by the Department of Agricultural Engineering. The expo was organised with the objective of giving an overview of the latest machines and appliances, including drones, available for farm mechanisation.