Having surpassed the normal coverage of paddy during the Samba-Thaladi cultivation season, the Cauvery delta is now facing the challenge of saving it, spread over nearly 12 lakh acres, till harvest.
The authorities are contemplating resuming water release from Mettur which was stopped on October 10. A decision in this regard is expected to be taken soon. A veteran water expert says that the release may have to be done till mid-February, if and when the resumption of the discharge is made.
As on date, the water level of Mettur stood at71.25 ft (full level: 120 ft) with the storage being 33.78 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft ) against the capacity of 93.47 tmc ft.. Assuming that the government would repeat what it did in October when it stopped the release as the level touched 30.9 ft with the storage being around 7.9 tmc ft, it could make available nearly 25 tmc ft for farming in the delta.
P.R. Pandian, a veteran farmer leader, who has been seeking the immediate re-commencement of the water supply from Mettur, points to drawing water from the Bhavanisagar dam under the arrangement - Cauvery credit. But, the water expert says that the government has to keep in mind interests of Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) canal ayacut farmers too, who have already demanded the release of water for their second crop season from January 7 to April 30, apart from other committed requirements such as the supply for drinking water and industry. On Thursday morning, the dam’s storage was about 17 tmc ft against the capacity of 32.8 tmc ft.
As for the delta achieving the coverage under Samba-Thaladi, even though the water availability through the Cauvery river was very meagre, the local sources, both surface and groundwater, came in handy. Free power supply for the farmers and water stored in ponds had all contributed to the coverage. The moderate rainfall recorded by the original undivided Thanjavur district (which is now divided into Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai) during the northeast monsoon (October-December) was another factor.
At the end of December, Tamil Nadu realised 5.44 tmc ft of the Cauvery river last month. In the seven months of 2023, it got 74.11 tmc ft..
