Ryots sceptical of bumper kuruvai as Mettur depletes
Farmers’ joy over surpassing this year’s kuruvai cultivation target short-lived as water level in Stanley reservoir has gone down below 57 feet
TIRUCHY: While the kuruvai cultivation broke the record of previous year by reaching 5.60 lakh acre this year, the farmers are doubtful on a bountiful harvest as the water level in Mettur has been declining day by day forcing farmers to appeal the state government to ensure adequate water to save standing crops.
According to official sources, kuruvai cultivation surpassed all expectations and reached 5.60 lakh acres this year-even though a conservative target of 3.42 lakh acre was fixed for 2023. But the cultivation has been on the rise year-on-year. After seeing a slide from 3.26 lakh acre in 2018 to 2.91 lakh acre in 2019, the land covered by kuruvai has been increasing.
By 2020 a whopping 4.70 lakh acre was covered by kuruvai which increased to 4.91 lakh acre in 2021, 5.36 lakh acre in 2022-thanks to timely release of water from Mettur and the prompt desilt process executed across the Delta.
Instead of looking at a bumper harvest this year, farmers are staring at rotting crops owing to deteriorating water level in Mettur reservoir. “More than 50% of cultivation is dependent on Mettur and storage has declined less than 50 percent in the past few weeks. We have lost hope of a successful kuruvai cultivation,” NV Kannan, Secretary, Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam said.
As per the data on Sunday, the water level in Mettur stood at 56.07 feet and the storage was at 21.84 TMC. Inflow was miniscule at 5020 cusecs and outflow was 7503 cusecs. The Stanley reservoir was at its full capacity of 120 feet with the storage of 93.47 TMC the same day last year, a factor which is forcing Delta farmers to lose hope. “On an average one TMC of water is needed every day,” said Kannan.
The upper riparian state Karnataka which has to release monthly due of 9.19 TMC of water in June, 31.24 TMC in July and 45.95 TMC in August has not yet released the due to Tamil Nadu. “Their reservoirs have adequate storage of water. For instance, Kirshna Raja Sakar has the storage of 35.15 TMC against the full capacity of 49.45 TMC while Kabini has the 18.34 TMC against the full capacity of 19.53 TMC, Harangi has the storage of 8.40 TMC against full capacity of 8.50 TMC and Hemavathi has the storage of 31.67 TMC against full capacity of 37.10 TMC of water. This shows that Karnataka has adequate storage of water but refuses to release water to Tamil Nadu,” said Kannan.
He urged the state government to act fast and get the due water from Karnataka as the available storage of water can be used only for seven more days. “Karnataka is in the practice of discharging water only when their reservoirs overflow but it is the duty of the Tamil Nadu government to get the rightful water from Karnataka as per the order of the apex court. This assumes utmost importance as the standing crops have to be saved,” Kannan added.
