CHENNAI: With hardly 40 days left for June 12, the question uppermost in the minds of delta farmers is whether the Mettur reservoir will be opened on that date for kuruvai cultivation or whether there will be a delay as in the last three years.

It was in 2001 the reservoir was last opened on the scheduled date. In the subsequent years, it was opened two months behind schedule. In the last 14 years, after the interim order of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal came into force, the dam was opened on June 12 only six times. In all these years, the storage was either 60 tmcft or more. This year too the possibility of opening the reservoir on June 12 is remote as storage is only 19.52 thousand million cusecs against the capacity of 93.4 tmcft.

Though the tribunal has fixed the quantum to be released by Karnataka every month, this was never followed. Karnataka has never released water even when the storage was sufficient. It released water only when the Krishnaraja Sagar and Kabini Reservoirs started surplussing.Only if there is heavy rain during the southwest monsoon will the reservoir be opened on the scheduled date.

Otherwise, farmers would have to skip kuruvai cultivation for the fourth successive season, according to official sources.

The officials said that it was no longer possible to stick to the schedule.

Cropping pattern

Delta farmers must change their crop pattern and adopt cultivation methods that required minimum water. For this, the officials said, the Agriculture department had prepared an action plan, which included community nurseries, cultivation of less water-intensive crops and supply of river water on turn basis. But the farmers would oppose the move, as they were accustomed to the existing practice of cultivating kuruvai followed by samba for hundreds of years. It would be difficult to change their mindset.

Meanwhile, farmers associations wanted political leaders to take up the Cauvery issue with the Centre immediately. The State Government and political parties here should represent the matter to the Prime Minister, who should direct Karnataka to follow the release schedule at least this irrigation year, they added.

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