Farmers anticipate promising season

MADURAI: With water level in Periyar dam to be increased and shutters downed to store 142 feet, farmers in the district are optimistic about their samba (long-term) paddy cultivation which will commence after August. Having foregone kuruvai (short-term) paddy crop on 45,000 acres due to scanty rainfall and poor storage level in Periyar, they are pinning their hopes with more water at their disposal after the rise in level.
The public works department (PWD) on Sunday recorded 117.80 feet and storage of 2231 mcft in Periyar dam. The inflow to dam stood at 962 cusecs while 955 cusecs was being discharged for Cumbum valley irrigation. The PWD also recorded 17 mm and 3 mm rainfall in catchment areas like Periyar and Thekkadi on Sunday morning. The rainfall on previous day was 19 mm in Periyar and 7.8 mm in Thekkady. "The rainfall is resuming after a lull and inflow to the dam is remaining constant at more than 900 cusecs. If rainfall continues as monsoon gains momentum in Kerala, there will be adequate water for samba cultivation in Periyar command area," a PWD official said. At 136 feet, the storage level in Periyar dam will be at 6,118 mcft and 142 feet storage level will increase storage capacity to 7666 mcft. Thus 1,548 mcft could be stored additionally, PWD sources said.
"The additional six feet storage will be a real blessing for us because there will be enough water to irrigate the entire command area of Periyar," said R Arulpragasam, a farmer leader from Thuyaneri village. Samba crop area is 1.45 lakh acres spread in Vadipatti, Alanganallur, Madurai East and West, Melur, Thirumangalam and Chellampatti blocks of Madurai district. After 2010, when there were handsome rains during the northwest monsoon, farmers of Madurai district are facing tougher days for last three years. The monsoons, both southwest that feeds Periyar dam and northeast helping in later part of cultivation have been failing for consecutive three years. Without water at the end of cultivation period of samba crop last year, farmers suffered crop loss especially in Melur region.
"When water is stored for 142 feet, we can draw it even at the end of cultivation period which is turning crucial every year. Most of the farmers bought water last year to save crops till harvesting," pointed out A N M Thiruppathi, a farmer from Kulamangalam. "We are hopeful that there will be good showers in the coming days and Periyar fills up till 142 feet. We will be able to reap good harvests in that case at least this year," Arulpragasam hoped. Meantime, PWD should prepare all supply channels before samba season starts by August 15 when water has to be released for cultivation, he added.
Jayasingh Gnanadurai, joint director of agriculture said that good rains in the catchment area of Periyar dam are going to be decisive. Only in 2001, there were more than enough rains when Periyar brimmed over 136 feet. "If there are good rains in the coming months enabling to store more water in Periyar, the samba crop will be beneficial to farming community of the district," he said.