india

Updated: Jun 06, 2019 23:37 IST

For the eighth consecutive year, Tamil Nadu has announced that it will not be able to release water for the Kuruvai (short-term) crop due to acute water shortage in the state. Previously, on June 12, the sluice gates of the Mettur Dam were opened and water released for Kuruvai cultivation. The last time this was done was in 2012. On Thursday, Tamil Nadu State Food and Civil Supplies Minister R Kamaraj announced the state’s inability to release water for agricultural purposes.

Farmers in Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Pudukkottai and parts of Cuddalore district are likely to be affected and the Kuruvai crop this year will likely be planted only by those who have access to borewell water.

As per Kamaraj, poor water storage level in Mettur Dam forced the government’s hand.

“Due to the poor storage level, the TN government is not in a position to open water from Mettur Dam for Kuruvai cultivation on June 12,” the state minister told the media at Thiruvarur, one of the delta districts in TN.

“As many waterbodies in the state have gone dry in the summer, the state is facing acute water scarcity now. So, the farmers may use bore wells for Kuruvai cultivation,” he added.

Tamil Nadu All Farmers Coordination Committee chief PR Pandian blamed the Cauvery Water Management Authority, whose negligence, he alleged, has pushed the state’s farmers into this difficult situation.

“Without sending Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee to inspect the water levels in Karnataka dams which are the primary water resource for Mettur, the CWMA has urged Karnataka to release 9.20 TMC of water for TN last week. However, the water has not come yet. Therefore, the government has left farmers in the lurch,” said Pandiyan.