Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi   

Concern over non-release of water

By S. Ganesan

TIRUCHI, FEB. 8. Amidst growing concern over the Government's silence on the demand for water release for irrigation in the 17 channels branching off the Cauvery between Mettur and Grand Anaicut during the non-Mettur season, farmers in the channel-irrigated areas are keeping their fingers crossed over the fate of the standing crops.

Farmers in the ayacut areas of these channels in Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Tiruchi and Perambalur districts were pinning their hopes on the release of water at least this year, after a couple of bad years when the poor storage in the Mettur dam forced the Government to conserve the available water for drinking water needs and irrigational requirements of the core delta region.

The fate of the standing crops, including banana, sugarcane, betelvine, turmeric and paddy in an estimated two-lakh acres hinges on the Government's decision. At least 1,500 cusecs need to be released for saving the crops between February and June, say farmers, who are worried that the Government has not announced a decision so far following the closure of the Mettur reservoir.

Public Works Department officials say that a decision is due over the next few days. According to the sources, the PWD has recommended the release of 1,000 cusecs of water. Officials say that this could be possible with the available storage at the reservoir this year.

Though the release of water during the non-Mettur season was done as a matter of routine until a few years ago, uncertainty was prevailing in the recent past owing to the drought condition and poor inflow from Karnataka.

With drinking water getting priority, the Government is often left in a tricky situation. The requirements of the delta region for the season ahead also need to be taken into account.

While farmers in the channel-irrigated areas claim the release of water as a matter of right, the PWD officials said that the rules of regulation of the Mettur reservoir only stated that the "natural flow of the river shall not be impounded, but allowed to pass down the river," during the closure period.

The flow into the dam depended on the implementation of the interim award by Karnataka, it was said.

While appreciating the difficulties in releasing water, the District Cauvery Delta Farmers' Welfare Association, in a recent memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister, has suggested that water could be released at least for 15 days in a month during deficit years. Or else, the ayacut areas of the 17 channels could be categorised as three divisions and water could be released for 10 days for each of the division on a turn system.

The Association urged the Chief Minister to formulate permanent guidelines for the release and share water among the channels during the Mettur closure period.

It also pressed its demand for the construction of a series of barrages across the Cauvery and the Coleroon at 23 places identified by it to fully harness the available water. If executed, the barrages would help farmers get adequate water during the non-Mettur season from these storage points and aid regeneration of groundwater table on both sides of the rivers to a significant distance.

It has also appealed to the Government to treat the ayacut areas of the 17 channels on a par with the delta districts in sanctioning farm power connections on a priority basis.

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