MADURAI: Farmers have urged authorities to release Vaigai water for the first crop cultivation (Kuruvai) season during a grievance meeting held in Madurai on Friday. In reply, the WRD will host a special meeting on Tuesday to discuss the water release.
P Manikandan, a farmer from Usilampatti, said, “Usually water will be released for Kuruvai paddy cultivation in the first weeks of June. But, over the last couple of years, water release gets delayed which also delays the cultivation season. Since both Periyar and Vaigai dam storage are at prominent levels, water could be released earlier this year.”
Responding to the request, a senior official from WRD department stated that the Periyar dam storage has crossed 127 feet and the Vaigai dam storage has crossed 53 feet. Following the meeting at WRD office, action will be taken on these issues.
The farmers also urged the district administration to desilt and clear encroachments in canals to ensure water reaches tail-end areas. District Collector M S Sangeetha asked the officials to take action towards maintaining the canals.
Furthermore, farmer leader N Palanichamy of Kottampatti requested the district administration to conduct awareness programmes and also improve availability of preventive measures of equipment, considering the spread of Rugose Whitefly in coconut crops in Madurai.
Similarly, during the agriculture grievances meeting held in Ramanathapuram, farmers from Kadaladi block urged the district administration to take action towards providing crop insurance cover for the paddy crops damaged by pests.