Rain spells relief in TN’s Thanjavur as farmers feared withering crops

As farmers in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur was fearing the withering of Kuruvai crops since the Cauvery water was not reaching the paddy fields, rain in the past few days has made them heave a sigh of relief and the water scarcity issue is almost cleared.

M.L . Arumukham, a farmer while speaking to IANS, said that the paddy farmers are relieved of tension as the rain has stopped the Kuruvai, Samba and Thaladi crops from withering. He said that the farmers who have cultivated banana and betel leaves will also have the benefit of rain.

It may be noted that Kuruvai paddy was cultivated on 78,486 hectares of farm land across the district and harvesting of about 55,000 hectares is already over. Samba and Thalady paddy is cultivated in around 25,000 hectares of farm land in the district.

With the Northeast monsoon about to lash in Tamil Nadu, the short spells of rain have saved the crops.

The Cauvery water has not reached the irrigation channels of Thanjavur even as the Mettur dam was opened on the customary date of June 12 by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin.

Many farmers organisations across the Delta districts of Tamil Nadu had witnessed protests, including road blockages, against the Karnataka government’s position of not releasing an adequate volume of Cauvery water for Tamil Nadu.