After Collector L. Subramanian’s orders to release water from the Vaigai dam for the benefit of the farmers in the region, 1,660 cusecs of water was released from the reservoir at 6 a.m. on Monday which is likely to continue over the next three days, PWD officials said.
The water released is expected to benefit farmers covering over 20, 000 hectares of land from Melur to Kallandhiri and Vellalapatti all the way to Thiruvadhavur among other villages. Farmers have however expressed concerns over the water being released only for a short duration.
In Amoor, a village near Thiruvadhavur, a majority of the farmers have left their lands dry owing to the deficit rainfall and the erratic release of water.
“We have given up hope with respect to cultivating our lands this season and have left them fallow”, a farmer from the village said.
Farmers and officials from the agriculture department too opined that water from the dam should be released for a minimum of at least eight days.
“Releasing water for only three days leaves us with very less time and will not help our crops in any way. There have been no rains and hardly any water left in our wells and tanks which have already dried up”, a farmer from the district said.
