Opinion seems to be divided among farmers organisations’ on advancing the date of opening of the Mettur dam for the forthcoming kuruvai season in the Cauvery delta. While a few associations are pressing for the opening of the reservoir in the first week of June, ahead of the customary date of June 12, others do not favour such a move.
Prominent among those demanding an early release of water is P. R. Pandian, general secretary of the Tamizhaga Cauvery Vivsayigal Sangam, who contends that an early release would help protect the crop from possible heavy monsoon rains at the time of harvest of the kuruvai crop. “We can protect the crop from natural vagaries if the water is released early. We have given a representation to the Chief Minister demanding the release of water on June 1,” Mr. Pandian told The Hindu and urged the government to come out with an early announcement on the date of opening of the reservoir to enable farmers prepare for cultivation.
Citing former Chief Minister late Jayalalithaa’s decision to open the Stanley Reservoir at Mettur on June 6 in 2011, Mr. Pandian says: “Farmers in the delta have lost the kuruvai crop for nine years. Now they are keen to take up cultivation given the good storage at Mettur and the government should help them. The South West monsoon is also expected to set in early and we can utilise the available water in Mettur.”
However, Mr. Pandian made it clear that he was seeking water only for kuruvai cultivation in the delta and not for summer crop.
Echoing similar views, Cauvery S. Dhanapalan, general secretary, Cauvery Farmers Protection Association, demands that the Mettur dam be opened 10 days in advance. “We will be able to protect the crop from monsoon damages. Besides, farmers in Vennar division will benefit immensely from such a move,” he claims.
However, the Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association does not favour such a move at least at this stage. “Cauvery being a deficit river, it has to be very carefully managed. The available water will just be enough for kuruvai, thaladi and samba crops. Priority should be given only for these conventional cultivation seasons and Mettur should be opened on the customary date of June 12,” said Mannargudi S. Ranganathan, general secretary, Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association.
“Depending on the behaviour of the monsoon we can increase the area of coverage and go for double crop – kuruvai followed by thaladi. But just because we have 100 feet of water in Mettur Dam we need not go for an early release,” he feels, reiterating that any additional crop other than the traditional seasons should be raised only using groundwater.
Supporting the view, Arupathy Kalyanam, general secretary, Federation of Farmers’ Associations of delta districts, felt that it was unnecessary to advance the opening of the Mettur dam though there may be precedence for it.
\“We may not get water continuously if water is released early. It is not advisable when the flow is not assured now,” he says.
