The recent spells of rain this week have raised hopes of farmers in Manapparai-Marungapuri region in Tiruchi district as the dry belt has been receiving rains after a long gap.
On Friday, Manapparai recorded 44.80 mm of rain, while Marungapuri registered 18.20 mm. On Wednesday evening, Manapparai registered 33 mm of rain and Ponnaniyaru dam 19.10 mm. Though these spell of rains is not enough to fill irrigation tanks or help commencement of farm activities in the rain-fed areas, farmers still see a ray of hope.
R. Renganathan, a Manapparai farmer, says, “The quantum of the recent rains is not much to recharge groundwater, leave alone help us begin cultivation. But coming after a long time, the rain has definitely kindled hopes among farmers, many of whom have abandoned farming over the past few years. We hope there is more rain in the coming days so that we can take up cultivation at least this year.”
He says a majority of farmers depended on groundwater. “Previously, depending on availability of water in wells, we raised paddy, groundnut, cotton, maize and even sugarcane. But after successive monsoon failure, a majority of farmers have left their lands fallow as the wells went dry,” he says adding that he too stopped cultivating his five-acre land after sustaining losses for four to five years in attempting to raise maize. The crop withered due to scanty rains. Many like him switched over to rearing cattle but face difficulty in sourcing fodder, and also water to meet drinking water needs of the animals.
According to Mr. Renganathan, the region has not received heavy rainfall since 2005. “After 1998-99, we received heavy rain in 2005. Even though Gaja cyclone passed through Manapparai region last year, there was not much rain on its wake,” he recalls. The Manapparai region used to get rain only a month after the water flows in the Cauvery and irrigation canals and cultivation is taken up in the Kulithalai region. “The authorities should ensure that the Cauvery water is released in all canals from Mayanur,” he says.
The farmers also want the authorities to take up desilting of waterbodies. “The rain has not brought any flow to the tanks, including the Manapparai tank, which used to overflow during monsoon in my childhood,” observes T. Indrajith, State Executive Committee Member of Communist Party of India and a resident of Manapparai.
Farmers allege that the inlet channels have vanished due to poor maintenance and encroachments and demand that the few remaining tanks be maintained properly to harvest rainwater.
The farmers also demand steps to desilt Ponnaniyaru dam, situated on the border of Tiruchi and Karur districts. Built in 1974, the dam has an ayacut of 1,850 acres, mostly dry land. The Public Works Department has sent a proposal to the government to remove silt from the reservoir at an estimated cost of ₹17 crore with World Bank assistance.
