TIRUVARUR: The situation in Tiruvarur district is no different. Farmers here are demanding water from the Cauvery for at least two more weeks to save the standing crop.
P S Masilamani, a farmer from Mavoor, said nearly 50 per cent of the crop in the district need water for irrigation. “The standing crops need at least two wettings, once in five days,” he added. V Sathyanarayanan, the general secretary of the Consortium of Cauvery Delta Farmers, told Express that the State government should have approached the Karnataka government earlier so that in case of their refusal to release water, it could have knocked the doors of the Union government to put pressure on the neighbouring State.
He said most of the crops to be harvested are in milky stage and need more water. “Not enough water means there would be less tillers and only the main shoot will be there,” he added. Without water, the crops would give only 20 per cent of the normal yield, which would be a great loss to the farmers. He said only 20% of the crop in the district -- in Needamangalam and Mannargudi areas -- could sustain as there was reasonable ground water potential.
Still there is the need for water and even now 25% of the crop cultivated belatedly could be saved if water is released from Karnataka, said farmers. Official sources said it would be a great relief to the farmers who are yet to harvest the crops, if it rained in the coming days.
1,47,698
ha cultivated
69,000
ha harvested till Feb 6, 2018
78,698
ha to be harvested