The proposed Eco-Sensitive Zone around Kodaikanal sanctuary will wipe out all livelihood activities of tiny and marginal farmers in Kodaikanal and paralyse tourism activities. The government should withdraw such proposals keeping in mind the interests of farmers or exclude farmlands from the purview of eco zone, said N. Parthasarathy, State secretary of Bharathiya Kisan Sangh at the agriculturists’ grievance day meet held here on Friday.
Several measures to be taken by forest officials in the proposed zone were impractical and will affect agriculture activities. Farmers cannot produce mango, banana and coffee on hill.
Farmers have to obtain permission from the forest officials before changing the crop every season. Above all, closure of ghat road for vehicular traffic between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. will adversely affect transport of agriculture commodities to the plains from the hill. Moreover, all dams on the Kodaikanal hill will be brought under the eco zone and dam maintenance too will become a tough task, he said and appealed to the authorities to exclude residential areas and farm lands from the eco-sensitive zone.
Farmers from Vedasandur and Gujiliamparai too condemned the failure of PWD in storing water in Azhagapuri dam. Even after a decade, PWD did not take efforts to repair the old shutters, they said.
Collector N. Venkatachalam said their problem could be solved only after the erection of radial shutters in the dam. But World Bank experts, who visited the dam, shunned such proposal as it was not essential and advised them to strengthen the dam and the shutters. A sum of Rs.1.2 crore had been sanctioned to strengthen the dam and replace all old shutters to improve storage. After the strengthening work, the dam could withstand an inflow of even seven lakh cusecs. The dam had recorded highest inflow of four lakh cusecs so far. Tender had been finalised and the work would commence shortly, he added.
They also appealed to construct a check dam before the main dam to recharge the groundwater.