The Hindu : Karaikal got only 0.9 tmcft water, says Chief Secretary

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 01, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Pondicherry

Karaikal got only 0.9 tmcft water, says Chief Secretary

By Our Staff Reporter

Karaikal Jan. 31. The Pondicherry Government has written to the Tamil Nadu Government to ensure that the Union Territory's share out of 9,900 cusecs, being released daily from Mettur, reaches Karaikal without fail.

Disputing the figures given by the Tamil Nadu Government that it had released 2.7 tmcft to Karaikal, the Pondicherry Chief Secretary, Padmanabhan, told reporters here today that he had sent a message to his Tamil Nadu counterpart that the run off water due to rain should not be added to the quantum of water realised by Karaikal, if there were any rain in delta area when the shutters of Mettur dam remained closed. Actually the quantum of Cauvery water (released from Mettur to Karaikal) was only around 0.9 tmcft.

He said Pondicherry suggested modification in the turn system adopted by Tamil Nadu in delta districts so that Karaikal was not denied of its share of water. Tamil Nadu had been asked to allow the initial two days flow in each turn in Cauvery reach Karaikal through Noolar, Nattar and Vanchiyar systems.

Mr. Padmanabhan said the suggestion had already been conveyed to the chairman of the Cauvery River Water Authority through a memorandum during the last CRA meeting in which the Pondicherry Chief Minister could not participate. Pointing out that samba had been cultivated on around 7,200 ha only against the normal coverage of 8,900 ha, he said crop on about 2,000 ha were affected fully and in around 1,500 ha they were partially affected. The Government had already initiated relief measures to help the affected farm workers.

Urging the farmers to come forward to share distress of their counterparts, Mr. Padmanabhan said standing crop in Mela Kasakudi, Varichikudi and Kizha Kasakudi areas could be saved if ryots in upper stream of Nedunkadu channel came forward to share the available water with the lower stream ryots. At the same time, the Government was planning to create ponds at Andur, Kurumbakaram and other areas. This would help recharge the groundwater, apart from acting as a lift irrigation facility, he said. Asked why Karaikal had not been declared as drought hit in view of the problems faced by ryots in getting water for irrigation and crops withering in areas such as Thiruvetakudi, Kottuchery and other places, the Chief Secretary said such decisions would have to be taken up at the political level only.

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