MADURAI: The PWD meeting with farmers regarding the release of Vaigai water for cultivation has been adjourned to the first week of November after a heated argument broke out between two section of farmers demanding water for their areas.
Official sources from the PWD told TNIE that owing to an increase in inflow, the dam storage has risen to 123.45 ft. Over the past one month, the storage has risen from 3.5 TMC to 5.5 TMC in dams. It is likely to increase after the onset of monsoon in catchment areas. Farmers who carry out two seasons a year sought water for them as they have already missed out the first crop cultivation season due to irrigation woes, while farmers involved in single crop cultivation also demanded water. Since water is scarce now, the meeting was adjourned hoping that the rain would increase the storage flow and water can be released to all farmers.
MP Raman, honorary president of Tamil Nadu Federation of All Farmers Association, said, "Samba cultivation season is important for both sections of farmers. Providing water to one side will definitely affect the other, hence the meeting has been adjourned. Hoping that there will be better rain, farmers are yet to start cultivation works here."
When asked about whether the delay in beginning the season could cause any effect towards the end, agriculture officials stated farmers will begin nursery works ahead of water release. Hence, there won't be any issue once the season commences, they added.