Cyclone Fengal's timely downpour a blessing for Cauvery Delta farmers

TIRUCHY: While the fear about Cyclone Fengal was greater across the State, expecting the worst during the landfall, it was just an anti-climax. However, the cyclone turned into a blessing in disguise for the farmers from the Cauvery Delta region.

The cyclone brought enough rain much to the delight of farmers, who had continued cultivation of samba. Farmers expressed joy as the samba target of 10.42 lakh acres would be achieved this time, too.

Though inundation was reported in a few areas in the Cauvery Delta region due to heavy rains, the downpour was beneficial for many as the rains started at the right time when the farmers required water for their standing samba crops.

“The rains that lashed across the region was a timely one as the farmers who had commenced the cultivation of samba were waiting for water for their irrigation but due to many reasons, the tail-end farmers and those who had commenced the cultivation with bore wells were benefitted,” said Swamimalai Sundara Vimalnathan, Secretary, Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Protection Association.

Vimalnathan said that the rains brought natural nutrients for the crops and was certainly a boon for the farmers. The timely rains enhanced hope among the farmers in achieving the target.

“The inundation happened in the places where there was no proper desilting programme,” he charged.

Sources said that a target of 10.42 lakh acre was fixed for samba in the Delta region out of which 9.63 lakh acre has been covered so far. Among the districts, Tiruvarur has already achieved 3.62 lakh acres and it might surpass the target soon as the farmers have shown interest in cultivating samba owing to the prompt rainfall.

While Nagapattinam achieved 1.50 lakh acres out of the target of 1.72 lakh acres, Mayiladuthurai achieved 1.71 lakh out of the 1.72 lakh acre target. Similarly, Thanjavur achieved 2.80 lakh acres out of the target of 3.36 lakh acres.

“Since the cultivation would last for a couple of weeks, the samba cultivation might surpass the target,” said Vimalnathan.

Sami Natarajan, General Secretary Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam said that the rains are not dangerously heavy in the region, so it would not affect the paddy. Such rains would aid the transplantation work in the tail-end areas in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam.

“Since the tanks have filled due to the timely rains, the nursery preparation and transplantation would pick up and the water would also be utilised for the standing samba crops. Above all, the farmers have ultimately benefitted to a great extent due to the cyclone-induced rains,” Natarajan said.

Just above normal rainfall recorded in Delta

Despite the Delta witnessing moderate to heavy rainfall during the northeast monsoon, it was recorded as just above the normal rainfall, according to the IMD. However, only Tiruchy, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Pudukkottai in the Delta region had received above-normal rainfall. Among the districts, Nagapattinam received 35 per cent more than the usual rainfall from October 1 to November 30 as per the record and Pudukkottai received 31 per cent more rainfall while Tiruchy received just 5 per cent more rainfall during the period.

However, the districts like Ariyalur, Perambalur, Karur and Mayilauduthurai received less than the usual rainfall and among them, Perambalur received 28 per cent less than the usual rainfall while Ariyalur received 17 per cent less and Karur and Mayiladuthurai received 4 per cent less than the normal rainfall.

“There is no need to panic as the average in the region is just above the normal rainfall and this would certainly be beneficial for the farmers as the waterbodies would get recharged,” said an official from the Water Resource Department.