NAGAPATTINAM: As Cauvery water finally reached tail-end areas of Nagapattinam (tail-end district of the Cauvery delta) nearly two weeks after it was released from the Mettur dam on September 1, farmers said the present flow into the district was only in hundreds of cusecs. They demanded that the state government increase the release to around 20,000 cusecs to ensure adequate water for samba cultivation. Farmers also reported silt accumulation and water hyacinth growth in several irrigation channels and called for timely clearance of the obstructions to ensure smooth flow and effective utilisation of water.
The water reached the Kaverikundaan irrigation canal regulator at the Vellaiyaru branch in the Ervaikkadu area near Keelayur on Tuesday.
Farmers said Cauvery water normally reaches Nagapattinam within about a week from the opening of Mettur dam opening. The delay this year has raised concerns over the timely commencement and completion of samba cultivation, particularly in the tail-end areas that receive water last.
Sources said only a few hundred cusecs have been discharged into the district's water channels. N Manivannan, president of the Keelayur Union Tail-End Irrigation Farmers' Association, said the current inflow is insufficient to meet the irrigation needs of farmers.
P Kamalram from Thalainayar said the water that reached is not sufficient for agriculture and demanded that around 20,000 cusecs be released from Mettur Dam so that adequate water reaches the tail-end areas to take up samba cultivation.
The farmers also urged Public Works Department officials to continuously monitor the flow and ensure that water reaches the farthest reaches of the irrigation canals. Farmers said the Ervaikkadu regulator caters to around 28 villages and 5,200 acres of agricultural land, making adequate inflow essential for farmers dependent on it.
They urged the state to ensure adequate and equitable distribution of water from Mettur dam based on crop requirements so that samba crop is not affected and not just for 45 days.
Speaking to TNIE, a Water Resources Department official said the department had submitted a proposal estimating Rs 2.63 crore to the Revenue and Disaster Management Department for necessary works, including clearing water hyacinth and waste from the channels and procuring the required equipment. The official added that the works would be taken up at the earliest once the proposal is sanctioned.