Tamil Nadu - Tirunelveli   

Erratic rainfall worries farmers preparing for ‘pisanam’ season

— Photo: A. Shaikmohideen

HOPING FOR THE BEST: Workers transplanting paddy saplings in Palayamkottai.

TIRUNELVELI: Though farmers in the district have started agricultural operations for the ensuing ‘pisanam’ paddy season with a lot of hope, the uncertain rainfall pattern in the district has sowed doubts in their mind on whether water would be available till the end of the season.

After northeast monsoon started with excess rainfall during October, it was thought that there will not be any problem with the second paddy crop season, ‘pisanam,’ what with the dams and irrigation tanks receiving copious inflow.

The district was blessed with excess rainfall of 359 mm against the normal rainfall of 166 mm in October. A week-long flood in Tamiraparani, the lifeline of the southern districts, resulted in jubilation among the farmers.

However, the situation changed altogether this month. Against the normal rainfall of 208.20 mm during November every year, the district has received only 4.99 mm till November 20, causing worry to farmers and officials.

Major reservoirs, which had 61 per cent storage level during the corresponding period last year, now have only 51 per cent water. In other words, all 11 reservoirs in the district that had cumulative storage level of 8,451 million cubic feet water in last November, have only 6,972 mcft.

Water level in the irrigation tanks is also not encouraging, Public Works Department officials say. Of the 2,449 tanks in the district that include 921 systemised tanks and 1,528 rain-fed tanks, none of these water bodies has water sufficient for three months and 2,381 tanks have water for irrigation for just 30 days.

“Since we’ve started transplanting paddy saplings only now, the season may extend beyond mid-March. In that case, we’ll be in need of water during the onset of next summer. So the officials must not release water for advance ‘kar’ paddy season and industries as they did last year, which proved to be a disaster. Officials, who will have to manage this ‘pisanam’ season with the available water in dams, should not commit the mistake again,” said Ganesan of Kurichi.

Farmers say the recent rainfall caused by low pressure in the Bay of Bengal would continue for at least next four or five days to bring some more inflow into the dams and irrigation tanks.

“If this rain continues for about a week, storage level in the irrigation tanks will go up substantially so that it will be used for our preliminary operations,” said M. Karuppasamy, another farmer from Pettai.

Rainfall recorded in the past 24 hours in the district (in mm): Ambasamudram 51, Palayamkottai 39, Nanguneri 35, Tirunelveli 20.20, Radhapuram 15, Sankarankovil 12.40, Sivagiri 10, Tenkasi 8.40, Aayikudi 4.20 and Shencottah 2.

Water level in dams (maximum capacity in brackets): Papanasam 113.50 feet (143 feet), Servalar 125 (148), Manimuthar 79.70 (118), Gadana 78.40 (85), Ramanadhi 64.50 (84), Karuppanadhi 64.96 (72), Gundar 35.90 (36), Vadakku Pachchaiyaar 21 (50), Adavinainar 113.25 (132), Nambiyar 20.60 (22), Kodumudiyar 34.50 (52).

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