TIRUNELVELI
The target set by Agriculture department to produce 46,000 tonnes of rice by cultivating paddy on 10,000 hectares during this ‘kar’ season is likely to be achieved as nine of the 11 dams in the district are getting good inflow following active precipitation in the catchment areas along the Western Ghats.
Though interior parts of the district have not received any rainfall during the southwest monsoon, areas closer to the Western Ghats and the catchment areas of the reservoirs have been experiencing good rainfall ever since the monsoon started on June 1.
Water level in Servalar dam rose from 111 feet to 121 ft on Monday. Similarly, the level in Gadana dam (from 79 ft to 83 ft), Ramanadhi dam (from 74 ft to 80 ft) and Adavinainar dam (from 117 ft to 122 ft) also increased – as per Monday morning recording – following significant precipitation in the catchment areas.
Karuppanadhi dam started overflowing on Sunday evening as water level reached the maximum of 71 ft.
As water for the ‘kar’ paddy season is being released from the dams since June 22, farming operations have moved to top gear. Farmers have started ‘kar’ paddy cultivation in the district, which in all likelihood will result in Agriculture department’s target of covering 10,000 hectares being exceeded.
The department, to facilitate the farmers’ efforts in achieving the target, has stocked high-yielding certified seeds such as Co 51, Ambai 16 and Aaduthurai 45 in all Agricultural Extension Centres as these varieties gave excellent yield during the last ‘pisanam’ season.
Moreover, the farmers are being persuaded to go in for System of Rice Intensification cultivation as this technology would give increased yield with the use of minimum amount of water.
Rainfall recorded in various places of the district was (in mm): Adavinainar dam 60, Gundar dam 52, Papanasam dam 43, Gadana dam 21, Servalar dam 20, Shencottai 18, Ramanadhi dam and Tenkasi 12 each, Karuppanadhi dam 9 and Kodumudiyar dam 7.