THOOTHUKUDI: Farmers of Chinnamadan Kudiyirupu in Kurippankulam village urged the district administration to take steps to release water from the Manimutharu and Papanasam dams for the paddy crops cultivated in the advance kar season (which occurs during summer). The paddy farmers, who had been relying on the water from the Sundanparai tank, said the tank has dried up and their crops, which are in the yielding stage, are withering due to water scarcity.
Raising their concerns, the farmers demanded the district administration to initiate measures to release water to the third reach of Manimutharu dam of Tirunelveli district and save their deprived crops. Further, the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam urged the administration to obtain adequate permission from the election commission for the release of water from the dams in view of the advance kar season, which will begin on April 1.
In a petition addressed to Collector G Lakshmipathy, Sangam district secretary Buviraj said the release of water was earlier affected due to the state assembly election in March-April of 2021. "It took 25 days of efforts by the Sangam, along with the intervention of parliamentarians Kanimozhi Karunanidhi and Su Venkatesan with the Chief Election Commissioner, for water to be released. Hence, the administration must ensure the appropriate water release for advance kar on time by April 1, this year," he said.