Representatives of farmers have urged the district administration to take immediate action for renovation of shutters in sluices in the tail-end parts of the district. They said farmers of a number of villages were unable to transplant nurseries though water was discharged from the Mettur dam about one-and-a-half months ago.
Led by Ayilai Siva Suriyan, district secretary of the Tamizhnadu Vivasaya Sangam, they submitted a memorandum to the Collector K. S. Palanisamy on Monday. They pointed out that the shutters of the sluices in the tail-end areas between Mayanur and Nachalur regulator and in places such as Valayapatti, Poyyamanai and Inangur were fully damaged. In a few places, there were no shutters at all resulting in irrigation water causing extensive damage to standing crops.
A. Nagarajan, state president, farmers’ wing of the Tamil Maanila Congress, said transplanting of nurseries had been affected in about 6,000 acres in Neidhalur Colony, Kaundampatti, Kurichi, Mettukadu, Paaraipatti, Koppu, Mudhalaipatti, Ettarai, Posampatti, Podhavur, Viyanzhanmedu, Sunnambukaranpatti, Adhavathur, Allithurai, Saveriyarpalayam, Melapettai, Sandhapuram and Iniyanur.
Subramanian, deputy general secretary, Cauvery Delta Farmers Association, said the farmers of these areas had skipped ‘kuruvai’ crop and steps should be taken to guarantee irrigation facility for ‘samba’ cultivation.
