Residents claimed that officials have begun preliminary works for land acquisition despite their objections.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Farmers in villages near Sathanur dam protested in front of the Office of the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) near the Old Collectorate Office in Tiruvannamalai on Thursday against the land acquisition for the proposed Nandan Link Canal project, which will be executed by Water Resources Department (WRD).
Farmers said that the identified land for the multi-crore project covers a large tract of agricultural land in the villages near Sathanur dam. Acquisition of agricultural lands would deprive farmers of their livelihood. “The new canal should not be laid by destroying agricultural lands in the area. We have been cultivating our lands for generations. Where will we go and what alternative work do we know?” asked G. Suresh Babu, a farmer and an organiser of the protest.
Farmers said that identified land owners in the villages were asked to submit objections against land acquisition. Despite submitting objections to the project, residents said that the preliminary works for land acquisition, including survey of the villages and marking of identified lands, are being done by revenue officials.
WRD officials said that around 355 acres of land in 14 villages between Sathanur dam and Samudram village, a distance of 28.95 kms, have been identified for land acquisition for the project. “The aim of the project is to rejuvenate the existing defunct Nandan Canal with surplus rainwater during Northeast monsoon. Water in the Nandan Canal will help to increase groundwater level, thereby expanding the total acres under cultivation in the region,” S. Sakthi Selvam, Assistant Engineer (AE), WRD (Kilpennathur), told The Hindu.
WRD officials said the proposed project consists of construction of main canal and link canal between Sathanur dam and Samudram village near Cheyyar town. The Samudram lake is the confluence of Aliyar and Thurinjal rivers, tributaries of Then Pennaiyar river. The British era Nandan Canal originates near the confluence of these two rivers. The new Link Canal will be connected to Nandal Canal at Samudram lake. Excess rainwater will help rejuvenate the old Nandan Canal back to life.
Divided into two phases, the main Nandan Link canal will be constructed in the first phase. It will cover 12.45 kms between Sathanur dam and Pachal village near Chengam town along the Then Pennaiyar river. It will also help to connect Palar and Cheyyar rivers by discharging excess rainwater into it. The new main canal will be around 12 metres wide and 1.5 metres in depth.
WRD officials said that a new branch Link Canal, covering a distance of 16.5 kms, will be built under the second phase. The new branch canal will vary in its size due to topography. It will be connected to Samudram lake.
The Nandan Canal was once the lifeline of 120 villages in Villupuram and Tiruvannamalai districts. Built in the late 18th century by the British, the canal originates from the Thurinjalaru River in Tiruvannamalai and covers a distance of 10.40 km in Tiruvannamalai district and 25.46 km in Villupuram district.
During its splendour years, the canal discharged water to 36 tanks in the region, helping farmers to irrigate around 1,500 acres and 5,000 acres in Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram district respectively.
Published – August 07, 2026 01:01 am IST
