CHENNAI, 6 July 2025: Farming activities in the Cauvery delta are gathering momentum during the Kuruvai season, even as complaints persist about inadequate water supply to tail-end regions. According to data from the State Agriculture Department, around 3.09 lakh acres have been cultivated so far against the target of 5.7 lakh acres.
A few days ago, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami blamed the DMK government for failing to ensure the proper flow of Cauvery water to the tail-end stretches, despite 20 days having passed since the opening of the Mettur dam.
Farmers in areas including Tiruvarur, Muthupet, Kottur, Thiruthuraipoondi (Tiruvarur district), Thalainayar and Vedaranyam (Nagapattinam district), and Peravurani, Pattukottai, and Madukkur (Thanjavur district) have reportedly struggled to take up transplantation due to lack of water.
The State government has yet to respond to these charges. However, coverage this year is about 60,000 acres higher than last year, with improved irrigation reservoir storage contributing to the performance.
Data from the Water Resources Department showed that as of July 4, storage in 90 reservoirs across the State stood at about 183 tmcft, or 81% of total capacity. The Mettur dam, a key irrigation lifeline for the Cauvery delta, is nearly full, holding 93 tmcft against its full capacity of 93.47 tmcft. Almost the entire inflow is being let out into the Cauvery, with around 32,000 cusecs being released.
In June, Tamil Nadu received 42.25 tmcft of Cauvery water, as measured at Biligundlu, far exceeding its allocated quota of 9.19 tmcft. This is the highest inflow recorded since the Supreme Court’s final judgment on the Cauvery issue in 2018.
Some delta farmers, meanwhile, have urged the government to expand the Kuruvai support package beyond one acre per farmer and prioritise assistance for the most needy.
Image credit: The Hindu
