Farmers organisations are pleading with the State Government to urge Karnataka to release at least 15 tmc ft of water from its reservoirs to save the standing samba and thalady paddy crops on several thousand acres in the delta districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam.
In particular, tail-end areas of the delta irrigated by the Cauvery and Vennar rivers and the western-south western parts of Thanjavur district irrigated by the Grand Anicut Canal are in dire need of water.
In all, around eight lakh acres have been brought under samba and thalady paddy crop in the delta region during the current season which is being seen as heading for a good harvest coming after almost six years of despair.
Expectations are high among the farming community that this samba and thalady crops could be a harbinger of hope for things to follow.
Mettur dam was opened rather late, around the first week of October, and that resulted in farmers raising paddy for samba and thalady later than usual.
Crops have come up well in most places and they would be ready for harvest from early February. The harvest might extend till March first week and these crops require at least two or three more wetting in a space of 10 days each. Only then the season’s labour will bear fruit, say farmers.
“With very little water in Mettur dam to meet the demands, we want the State Government to urge Prime Minister Naerndra Modi to talk to Karnataka and get Tamil Nadu’s due share of water in Cauvery. If there is inadequate storage in their reservoirs, then Mr. Modi must ensure that Karnakata releases 15 tmc ft of water to save our crops,” says V. Jeevakumar of Budalur.
Yearning for water are farmers in tail-end areas of Tiruvarur district such as Tiruthuraipoondi, Kottur and Muthupettai as also Vedaranyam, Sirkali and Poompuhar in Nagapattinam district as also Peravurani, Thiruvonam and Pattukkottai areas in Thanjavur served by the Grand Anicut Canal.
The GA Canal aycutdars need water to save their varied crops as the soil conditions there do not allow retention of moisture for a long period. The present foggy conditions early in the morning is keeping the prospects of those crops going well but at least two more wettings is required to save the crops, pleads farmer S. Gajendran Vanapiriyar of Peravurani.
