Tamil Nadu Farmers Call for Water Release from Mettur Dam
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Synopsis
Farmers in Tamil Nadu's Tiruchi and Karur districts are urging the Water Resources Department to release water from the Mettur Dam, which currently stands at 100 feet, to protect their crops as they face challenges due to inconsistent water supply.
Key Takeaways
- Mettur Dam water level at 100 feet.
- Farmers request at least 3,000 cusecs of water daily.
- Significant crops include banana, sugarcane, and pulses.
- Concerns over Karnataka's new dam proposal.
- Current release is only 1,003 cusecs.
Chennai, March 17 (NationPress) As the water level in the Mettur Dam has hit 100 feet, farmers from the Tiruchi and Karur districts in Tamil Nadu are appealing to the Water Resources Department to release water to sustain their crops.
Typically, the water release from Mettur for delta irrigation is stopped after the traditional closing date of January 28. However, the government usually permits the release of between 1,500 to 3,000 cusecs of water based on storage levels to supply various irrigation channels. These include Raja Kumarapalayam, Mohanur, Kattuputhur, Vadakarai, Ayyan, Peruvalai, and Srirangam Nattu Vaickal. Furthermore, 17 other tributary canals, including those in Pugalur, Vaangal, Nerur, Krishnarayapuram, Thenkarai, and Uyyakondan, benefit from this water supply.
These irrigation channels are vital for a range of crops such as banana, sugarcane, pulses, oilseeds, turmeric, betel vine, flowers, and korai grass. Farmers in lower-lying regions also grow summer paddy.
Considering the significance of these crops, the agricultural community is now requesting a daily release of at least 3,000 cusecs of water to safeguard thousands of hectares of crops.
In addition to paddy, farmers also grow summer cash crops like pulses and oilseeds.
The water released from the Mettur Dam is crucial for irrigating these lands, especially within the Cauvery Delta region. However, in recent years, erratic water releases from the Cauvery River have compelled farmers to depend on groundwater and rainfall.
As per leaders of the Tamil Nadu Farmers’ Association, the water release from Mettur Dam after January 28 has been inconsistent for several years, primarily due to drought conditions and ongoing disputes over water sharing with Karnataka.
Farmers have been protesting against Karnataka's proposal to build a new dam across the Cauvery River at Mekedatu, fearing a further decrease in their water supply. Despite the current storage level of the Mettur Dam being 108.7 feet, only 1,003 cusecs of water are being released, resulting in many farmers abandoning their summer paddy crops.
K.R. Veeraraghavan, a farmer leader from the Cauvery Delta region, informed IANS that according to government orders, 3,000 cusecs should be released to irrigate thousands of acres along both sides of the Cauvery.
He stressed that with the water level still above 100 feet, farmers are optimistic that water will continue to be released until May, which would support banana plantations, perennial crops, and summer paddy cultivation.
It should be noted that during the northeast monsoon, the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department (WRD) announced that reservoirs across the state were nearing full capacity. Twelve reservoirs (three in Coimbatore, seven in Madurai, and two in Chennai) reached 100 percent capacity. Eighteen reservoirs exceeded 90 percent of their total capacity, while 23 reservoirs maintained water levels between 70 percent and 80 percent.
The overall water storage across Tamil Nadu's reservoirs during the northeast monsoon was reported at 195.455 TMC, leaving the state 24.824 TMC short of full capacity. Farmers are hopeful that with current storage levels, the government will ensure sufficient water release from the Mettur Dam to support agriculture in the delta region until the conclusion of the summer season.
