THANJAVUR/TIRUVARUR: Owing to the widespread rains that lashed across the delta districts of Thanjavur and Tiruvarur on Saturday and Sunday and the heavy rains forecast for the coming days, the water release from Mettur reservoir into the Cauvery has been reduced.
The water release, which stood at 12,000 cusecs till Saturday evening, was reduced to 5,000 cusecs on Sunday. Moreover, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heavy rain alert for December 7 and a very heavy rain alert for December 8 to the delta districts.
The forecast rouse excitement among the farmers as they anticipate a reduction in the nitrogen-level in the atmosphere. "The samba and thalady crops cultivated are 90 days into maturity. The rains would bring down the natural nitrogen in the atmosphere to the crops, obviating the need to apply urea fertilisers," said R Sukumaran, a farmer from Orathanadu area, pointing out to insufficient rainfall recorded during the northeast monsoon season.
Officials of the agricultural department maintained that the rains nourish the crops. According to IMD sources, Thanjavur district received only 312 mm of rainfall in the northeast monsoon against the predicted measure of 455 mm between October 1 and December 4, accounting to a deficit of 31%. Tiruvarur district, on the other hand, received only 319 mm of rainfall against the typical record of 566 mm, accounting to a 44% deficit in the monsoon. Samba and thalady crops have been cultivated in around 1.30 lakh hectares in Thanjavur and across 1.40 lakh hectares in Tiruvarur.
During the 24 hours ended at 8.30 am on Sunday, Anaikkarai in Thanjavur district recorded the highest rainfall of 35 mm. The rainfall recorded in other places in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur district are (in mm): Neivasal Thenpathy-15, Vettikkadu-12, Valangaiman-12, Muthupettai-11, Tiruvarur-10, Mananrgudi-10, Orathanadu-10, Pattukkottai-10, Needamangalam-10.