Mon Apr 21 13:36:29 UTC 2025: ## Damaged Cauvery Barrage Apron Threatens Delta Irrigation

**Tiruchi, April 21, 2025** – Farmers in the Cauvery delta region are sounding the alarm over the deteriorating condition of the apron downstream of the Mukkombu barrage near Tiruchi. The apron, a crucial structure preventing erosion from the barrage’s water flow, has suffered extensive damage, reportedly caused by heavy monsoon discharges in 2021. Large concrete boulders are dislodged and sunk into the riverbed, threatening the structural integrity of the entire barrage.

The 594.30-meter-long barrage, commissioned in 1977, irrigates nearly 1.2 million acres. While the barrage’s 41 shutters underwent repairs in 2024 at a cost of ₹17 crore, the apron was not included in the work. Farmers’ representatives, including Mahadhanapuram V. Rajaram of the Cauvery Irrigation Farmers’ Welfare Association and N. Veerasekaran, State Secretary of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangam, have urged the government to allocate the necessary ₹150 crore for its urgent repair. They warn that failure to act swiftly could lead to further damage to the barrage foundation.

A proposal for the apron’s repair has been submitted to the government, but the project is yet to receive funding. Srirangam DMK MLA M. Palaniyandi, who recently raised the issue in the Assembly, expressed optimism that funds will be released soon. The farmers, however, remain concerned, pointing to the collapse of a portion of the Kollidam barrage in 2018 due to similar circumstances. They stress the need for immediate action before the next Mettur season.

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