THANJAVUR: Farmers in parts of the district left to rely on groundwater for irrigation complain that the unseasonal hot weather conditions prevailing over the past two weeks has led to a dip in the water table, forcing them to incur additional expenses in irrigating their crops.
Mentioning them too facing such inconvenience due to canal water not reaching their areas, farmers in the tail-end region demand withdrawal of the internal turn system and release water simultaneously into all branch canals of the Grand Anicut Canal (GAC).
The temperature in Thanjavur has been breaching the 100 degree Fahrenheit mark for several days over the past two weeks.
R Sukumaran of Kakkarai in Orathanadu said, “Usually the temperature in July will not be this high. It would be high only during May-June.”
With River Cauvery water released into the GA canal also not reaching the tail-end areas, the hot weather conditions have led to the water table to fall in Orathanadu and surrounding areas, he added.
“Adding to this there has been voltage problems. Hence we aren’t able to pump enough groundwater for kuruvai paddy transplantation,” Sukumaran said, adding that transplantation work in areas like Kakkarai, Poovathur, Kannanthangudi and Tirunallar have hence been affected.
“To facilitate transplantation, there should not be an internal turn system for opening water into branch canals of the GA canal. The quality of power supply also needs to be improved,” he added.
Meanwhile, Villappan Sundar of Ko Vallundampattu panchayat near Thanjavur said the water level in open wells in the locality is falling due to the heat conditions.
“Due to the fall in the ground water level, I have to augment the supply using diesel engines in addition to the solar pumps. I also have to spend an additional Rs 150 per day for diesel,” he added.
“Due to the hot weather combined with unseasonal winds, the water supplied to the fields evaporated quickly, necessitating additional supply,” he further said.
Those farmers in the old delta areas irrigated by Cauvery and Vennaru rivers, however, express otherwise. “The sunshine is good for the early kuruvai paddy being harvested,” said S Sivakumar of Manathidal near Tiruvaiyaru.
When enquired, an agriculture and farmers’ welfare department official echoed Sivakumar. “The yield is good where the paddy is being harvested,” the official said.
According to official sources, kuruvai paddy has already been transplanted in around 53,000 hectares in Thanjavur district. “The transplantation will be brisk in the second half of July. With the comfortable storage in the Mettur dam, we expect kuruvai paddy coverage to surpass the target of 78,000 hectares,” the official added.