With water released from Grand Anicut on August 14 yet to reach tail end areas in the Cauvery, Vennar, and Grand Anicut canal systems, farmers of Cauvery delta districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Nagapattinam have appealed to Public Works Department to increase the quantum of water released into these systems.
At present, 4,000 cusecs is released into the Cauvery, 3,000 into the Vennar, and 2,500 into the Grand Anicut Canal. Cauvery and Vennar can carry a maximum of 12,000 cusecs each and Grand Anicut canal can carry 3,500 cusecs.
As water was now needed more for transplantation of samba crop, farmers demand increase in the quantum of water released.
S. Ranganathan, Secretary, Cauvery Delta Farmers’ Welfare Association, said water had not reached tail-end areas in the three systems. But rain was helping to some extent. But this was not widespread and confined to upper reaches. So, the PWD had a responsibility to increase the water flow.
At the same time, water should not be wasted. The rainwater might be sufficient for a fortnight. But farmers who had gone for direct sowing should wait for the next spell of rain without using the canal water. They should not fritter away the canal water which was needed for transplantation.
“The Public Works Department managed the water flow efficiently last year. This year also we hope they will do so,” Mr. Ranganathan said.
S.Kannan, a farmer from Thirukuvalai, in Nagapattinam district, said that water had not reached villages such as Thiruvoimoor, Thirukuvalai, Thirupoondi, and Ettukudi which got water supply from Vellaiyar, a branch of Vennar. “The PWD should increase the quantum of water released,” he said.
C. Painthamil Selvan, Chief Engineer, PWD, Water Resources Division (WRD), said that drawing from Mettur dam has been increased to 20,000 cusecs. As this quantum was realised at Grand Anicut, quantum of water released into Cauvery, Vennar and Grand Anicut canal systems would be increased.
About 7,000 cusecs each would be given into the Cauvery and Vennar systems and 3,000 into the Grand Anicut canal system. About 2,000 cusecs would be released into the Kollidam.
“Rivers and A channels in Cauvery delta have been dredged at a cost of Rs. 40 crore this year. B and C channels are cleared by the district administration under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme (MNREGS). So there will not be problem in water reaching tail end areas once the quantum of water released is increased,” the Chief Engineer said.
