With the water level in the Mettur Dam gradually rising, thanks to steady and increased inflow in the last few days following rainfall in the catchment areas, the farmers of Salem, Namakkal and Erode districts have demanded discharge of water in the East-West canal system for commencing farm activities with immediate effect.
A delegation of farmers, led by K. Sundaram, State general secretary of the Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam, called on Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami during his stay in Salem city on October 7 and pressed this demand.
The East-West Canal system covered about 45,000 hectares in the three districts of Salem (16,433 acres), Namakkal (11,337 acres) and Erode (17,230 acres).
As per the PWD calendar, water is usually released for farm activities under the East-West Canal system for 137 days from August 1 – December 15, after the release of water for delta districts on the customary date of June 12.
In 2015, water was released for farm operations under the East-West Canal system on August 20 and was continued due to the increased inflow till the end of the season. During last year, water for the Samba season in delta districts was released on September 20 when the water level stood at 87.68 ft.
However, the government decided against release of water for the East-West Canal system for the entire season last year due to depleting water level in the dam.
Now, with water level in the Mettur Dam remaining at 97.51 feet on Friday and the inflow continuing to remain steady for the past many days despite release of 18,000 cusecs for Cauvery basin, the farmers have demanded release of water for the East-West Canal system.
Mr. Sundaram told The Hindu that the Chief Minister during the October 7 meeting informed the farmers’ delegation that the crop season under the East-West Canal system is already over and there will be no use in releasing the water at present.
However, the Chief Minister assured to order release water during next month for raising groundnut and sesame crops in these three districts under the canal system.
Mr. Sundaram said that a cross section of the farmers of the western districts were of the view that it is still not too late for the release of water from the dam for raising paddy.
The inflow has been on the increase since the delegation called on the Chief Minister, inflow crossing 20,000 cusecs mark on five occasions in the last one week, the Sangam is once again pressing the government to consider the release of water from Mettur Dam for raising paddy under the East-West Canal system.
He expressed hope that the Chief Minister will the Sangam’s demand.
