DHARMAPURI: Dharmapuri farmers have been urging the State government to implement Cauvery Surplus Water scheme in the district, as they don’t benefit from the river even if it flows through the district, due to its geographical layout. For the past few days, the areas near Hogenakkal are on high flood alert as water levels have reached up to 1.2 lakh cusecs due to the rains in the catchment areas of Cauvery river.
Farmers stated that diverting the excess water flow in the Cauvery during the monsoons would not only boost cultivation but also aid in Dharmapuri’s development by boosting the rural economy.
State President of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, SA Chinnasamy said, "Last year, the district received surplus rainfall of over 1,001 mm, which is 40 to 50 mm above the average rainfall levels. Inspite of that, most of the lakes in the district were dry. A majority of bore wells also failed and farming was severely affected. Farmers are abandoning their fields and working as labourers to tackle the mounting debts. So, the scheme needs to be implemented."
"We request the government to set up the scheme and divert the water into lakes only during flooding. At most, we would need 30 TMC water to fill up over 100 lakes in the district. This water would aid in recharging groundwater and help farmers sustain droughts. Even if, the water is pumped for 10 days a year, it would benefit the farmers and improve food production," he added.
Another farmer, M Selvaraj from Nallampalli, said, "In Dharmapuri, a majority of the people have left cultivation for other menial works. My brother works as a labourer in Bengaluru despite owning two acre land, due to lack of water round the year. Such instances are common across the district, many lakes in our taluk are dry and this scheme would assist us."
The farmers also said that, during the elections, the DMK government had promised that they would set up the scheme, but even after two Assembly sessions, the announcement is yet to be made. “We hope this year we will hear the announcement in the upcoming sessions,” they added.