TN farmers to meet President Murmu on Sept 4, seek ₹1 lakh crore Cauvery compensation
Synopsis
Tamil Nadu farmers are not just protesting — they are putting a price tag on Karnataka's alleged non-compliance: ₹1 lakh crore. With reservoir storage at barely 37% of capacity and Mettur Dam under half-full, the Cauvery crisis has moved from a political flashpoint to an acute agrarian emergency, and a presidential appeal is now the farmers' next move.
Key Takeaways
The National South Indian Rivers Interlinking Farmers Association has sought a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu on 4 September 2025 in New Delhi.
State President P Ayyakannu is demanding ₹1 lakh crore compensation from Karnataka for allegedly failing to release Cauvery water as mandated.
Tamil Nadu's 90 reservoirs held just 83.124 tmcft — 37.05% of capacity — as of 17 August , less than half last year's level of 189.545 tmcft .
Mettur Dam , critical for Cauvery delta irrigation, was at 46.30% of its 93.470 tmcft capacity.
58 of 90 reservoirs have less than 25% storage; only the Gundar reservoir in Tenkasi is at full capacity.
A weak southwest monsoon and high temperatures have worsened the water crisis across several Tamil Nadu districts.
The National South Indian Rivers Interlinking Farmers Association has sought an appointment with President Droupadi Murmu on 4 September 2025 to present a memorandum demanding ₹1 lakh crore in compensation from the Karnataka government, alleging that the state has repeatedly failed to release its share of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu, leaving thousands of farmers exposed to drought. The association's State President, P Ayyakannu, made the announcement in Chennai on Tuesday, 18 August.
What the Farmers' Body Is Demanding
Ayyakannu stated that the delegation will travel to New Delhi on 4 September to submit a formal memorandum to the President. 'According to the Constitution and the Supreme Court's instructions, Tamil Nadu releases Cauvery river water every month to Karnataka but the latter refuses to do so. As a result, all big, small and marginal farmers are affected by drought,' he said. He added that the compensation must be paid to farmers in Tamil Nadu 'to prevent them from committing suicides.' The association has already written to the President's office seeking permission for the meeting, according to Ayyakannu.
Reservoir Crisis: Storage at 37% of Capacity
The demand comes against the backdrop of a deepening water crisis in Tamil Nadu. As of Monday, 17 August, the 90 reservoirs monitored by the state's Water Resources Department collectively held 83.124 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) — just 37.05% of their combined capacity of 224.343 tmcft. This is less than half the storage recorded during the same period last year, when the reservoirs held 189.545 tmcft, underscoring the severity of the current shortfall.
Mettur and District-Level Breakdown
Mettur Dam, Tamil Nadu's most critical reservoir for Cauvery delta irrigation, held 43.275 tmcft — representing 46.30% of its total capacity of 93.470 tmcft. Of the 90 reservoirs statewide, 58 have less than 25% storage, 14 are between 26% and 50%, 15 are between 51% and 76%, and only two have crossed the 80% mark. The sole reservoir at full capacity is the Gundar in Tenkasi district, with a storage of 18.43 million cubic feet.
Why This Matters
An underperforming southwest monsoon and unusually high temperatures have compounded the strain on Tamil Nadu's water resources this season. The combination of low reservoir levels and the alleged shortfall in Cauvery releases from Karnataka has raised urgent concerns over both irrigation and drinking-water availability across several districts. This is not the first time the Cauvery dispute has escalated to a demand for presidential intervention — the river-sharing conflict between the two states has a decades-long legal and political history, with the Supreme Court having issued binding allocation orders that both states have periodically contested. With the kharif season under stress and no immediate resolution in sight, the pressure on farmers in the Cauvery delta is expected to intensify in the weeks ahead.
Point of View
And compensation of this scale has no clear statutory mechanism. What the farmers' appeal does achieve is placing the crisis on the President's desk, raising the political temperature ahead of the kharif harvest. The reservoir data is the harder, more urgent story: at 37% storage — less than half of last year's level — Tamil Nadu's water position is not a seasonal blip but a structural warning. If the monsoon does not recover sharply, the delta's rabi season is also at risk, and no presidential memorandum will substitute for rainfall.
NationPress
18 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Tamil Nadu farmers seeking a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu?
The National South Indian Rivers Interlinking Farmers Association wants to submit a memorandum on 4 September 2025 demanding ₹1 lakh crore compensation from Karnataka, alleging the state has failed to release Cauvery river water as directed by the Supreme Court and the Constitution. The association says this failure has caused severe drought conditions for farmers across Tamil Nadu.
What is the current water storage situation in Tamil Nadu's reservoirs?
As of 17 August 2025, Tamil Nadu's 90 monitored reservoirs held 83.124 tmcft — just 37.05% of their combined capacity of 224.343 tmcft. This is less than half the 189.545 tmcft stored during the same period last year, reflecting a sharp rainfall deficit driven by a weak southwest monsoon.
How is Mettur Dam, key to Cauvery delta farming, faring this season?
Mettur Dam held 43.275 tmcft as of 17 August, which is 46.30% of its total capacity of 93.470 tmcft. The dam is the primary source of irrigation water for the Cauvery delta region, and its below-par storage is a significant concern for the ongoing kharif season.
What is the long-standing Cauvery water dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka?
The Cauvery dispute is a decades-old inter-state conflict over the sharing of water from the Cauvery river, which originates in Karnataka and flows through Tamil Nadu. The Supreme Court has issued binding allocation orders, but both states have periodically contested releases, leading to recurring tensions — particularly during drought years when upstream storage is prioritised.
Who is P Ayyakannu and which organisation does he represent?
P Ayyakannu is the State President of the National South Indian Rivers Interlinking Farmers Association, a body that advocates for the water rights of farming communities in Tamil Nadu. He has been a prominent voice in demanding inter-state river water releases and federal intervention in the Cauvery dispute.
