Tail-end delta farmers spread across the Chidambaram, Kattumannarkoil and Bhuvanagiri blocks in Cuddalore district are yet to get the required quantum of water for irrigation.
They are hardly getting 300 cusecs for paddy crops sown on 50,000 acres in the region. Therefore, they have urged the authorities to enhance the quntum of release from the Lower Anicut. President of the Kollidam-Keelanai Paasana Vivasayigal Sangam P. Vinayagamoorthy told The Hindu: “It is an established practice that 10 per cent of the quantum of water realised at Kollidam (Coleroon) ought to be let into the Lower Anicut. As of now, discharge from Stanely Reservoir at Mettur into the Kollidam is 18,000 cusecs.
“Going by the past experience, the Lower Anicut should get at least 1,800 cusecs of Cauvery water. But, the actual inflow is only 300 cusecs. Though officials claim that the discharge from the Lower Anicut has been stepped up to 1,500 cusecs, the ground reality is different.”
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Water scarcity posed severe threat to the survival of the standing paddy crops. A majority of farmers in the region had gone for direct sowing and constant water supply of required quantum was a must for the sustenance of tender crops.
Mr. Vinayagamoorthy said that weedicides could not be effectively applied as they would lose potency when the soil was dry . Therefore, at least 1,500 cusecs of water ought to be released from the Lower Anicut to save the farmers. Scattered rainfall was not of much use , he added.