Progressive farmers in Delta region have asjed the State government to enhance the quantum of water release from the Stanley Reservoir at Mettur during the Tamil month of ‘Aadi’ to ensure the availability of water for cattle and recharging of the depleting ground water table.
In a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister, C.Joseph Vijay, a progressive farmer from Ganapathi Agraharam, Papanasam Tahluk, Thanjavur district, G.Srinivasan pointed out that it was a customary practice to release water into the Cauvery river for 10 days in ‘Aadi’ when the water release for irrigation was delayed in the past.
This year, he said, the ground water table in the Delta region, particularly in the Old Delta areas, had gone down considerably in view of the delay in opening of the dam and due to the impact of heat across the State.
Hence, stepping up the quantum of water being released for drinking water purposes from the Mettur reservoir for first 10 days of the Tamil month ‘Aadi’ would not only help recharging the ground water table along the Cauvery river and also ensure drinking water availability to cattle and help people celebrate the ‘Aadi Perukku’ festival, he added.
Echoing his views, Saravanan of Swamimalai said that such a measure would help avoid cash crops such as plantain or betel, being cultivated along the banks of Cauvery in Old Delta region and as well as upstream areas in Tiruchi and above, from withering.
Meanwhile, the Thamizhaga Cauvery Vivasayigal Sangam has urged the State government to declare the Cauvery Delta districts as drought hit since farmers were unable to take up kuruvai cultivation due to poor storage at Mettur clubbed with a bleak prospect of the ensuing ‘samba and thaladi’ seasons.
Addressing the media at Irulneeki near Mannargudi on July 13, the Sangam general secretary, P.R.Pandian claimed that the delta farmers have lost kuruvai cultivation this season due to non-availability of both surface and ground water.
Pointing out that when a similar situation cropped up during the former Chief Minister Jayalalitha’s regime in the past, he recalled that delta districts were declared drought-hit and a compensation of Rs.15,000 per acre to the farmers was announced.
Published - July 14, 2026 09:42 pm IST