MADURAI: With the Kuruvai cultivation season set to begin in the coming weeks, farmers in Madurai district are worried over the low storage level in the Vaigai reservoir, raising concerns about the timely release of irrigation water.
According to Water Resources Department (WRD) data, the storage level in the Vaigai dam stood at 21.29 feet on Monday against its full level of 71 feet, and the reservoir received an inflow of 96 cusecs. Although the storage has improved marginally from 20.5 feet recorded on May 29, it remains the lowest level recorded during the corresponding period in the last five years.
WRD officials said the available storage is insufficient to meet irrigation requirements. The water level in the Mullaperiyar dam stood at 110.8 feet on Monday.
Officials explained that water for the double-crop irrigation season can be released only when the combined storage in the Vaigai and Mulla Periyar reservoirs exceeds 4,000 million cubic feet (mcft). If incessant rainfall is reported in catchment areas the storage could increase to needed levels. At present, the storage in both reservoirs remains significantly below the required level, limiting the possibility of opening irrigation canals in the immediate future.
Traditionally, water is released through the Periyar Main Canal by the middle of June to support Kuruvai cultivation across more than 9,000 hectares in Madurai district. Farmers fear that any delay in the release could disrupt preparatory work and sowing operations.
K Jayaratchagan, a farmer from Vadipatti, said, “Water releases have not been regular over the past few years. Farmers in Vadipatti, Kallandhiri, and Sholavandhan depend entirely on the Periyar Main Canal for irrigation. If the release is delayed, cultivation activities will be affected, and farmers will be forced to postpone sowing,” he said.