Farmers from Tiruchi and Karur districts are pressing Tamil Nadu’s Water Resources Department to release water from Mettur Dam, where levels have reached 100 feet, to irrigate their crops.

Traditionally, delta irrigation halts after January 28, but with adequate storage, 1,500-3,000 cusecs are typically released to canals like Raja Kumarapalayam and Mohanur, supporting crops such as banana, sugarcane, pulses, and summer paddy across thousands of hectares.

With the dam at 108.7 feet, only 1,003 cusecs are currently released, forcing many to abandon summer paddy. Farmers, reliant on the Cauvery Delta’s irrigation network, are demanding at least 3,000 cusecs daily to sustain standing crops and summer cash crops like oilseeds.

K.R. Veeraraghavan, a Cauvery Delta farmer leader, stressed that government norms support this release, especially with water levels sufficient to last until May for banana plantations and perennial crops.

Inconsistent Cauvery River flows, exacerbated by Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam, have long disrupted post-January releases, pushing farmers toward groundwater and rainfall. Protests against Karnataka’s plan persist, as farmers fear further water cuts. During the recent northeast monsoon, Tamil Nadu’s reservoirs, including Mettur, neared capacity, with 195.455 TMC stored statewide—24.824 TMC shy of full.

Farmers hope the current storage will prompt sustained releases to bolster agriculture through summer. The Water Resources Department has yet to respond, but the farming community remains vocal, citing the dam’s robust levels as a lifeline for their livelihoods in the Cauvery Delta region.