Farmers in Tiruvannamalai and Vellore are buying water in the hope that they could save their withering crops. Though the government announced 28 districts in the State as drought hit on March 17, the farmers complain that it failed to provide any relief measures, leaving them in the lurch.

A farmer in Kannamangalam, who had to purchase water and hire a tractor, to irrigate his field

Chennai:

The most affected areas include Kannamangalam, Kalambur and Arani, a huge farming belt in Tiruvannamalai that ranks next to Gingee in Villupuram district in agricultural production. Babu of Reddiyarpalayam near Kannamangalam owns a two-acre farm land. But he now grows flowers only on 40 cents of the land. 

Even that was only because he could not bear witness to the land lying uncultivated, Babu said. So, he is now spending around Rs 5,000 every fortnight to bring a load of water to his land, including Rs 1,000 for the water.

Tiruvannamalai district has two rivers flowing from Jawadhu hills –  the Naganadhi flows through Kannamangalam and the Cheyyar flows in and around Kalasapakkam. However, both rivers are bone dry and the groundwater has also dwindled sharply. This has greatly affected agriculture in the region, said Elumalai of Kannamangalam, a farmer.

S Kalaiarasu, another farmer, has raised banana and turmeric in his 15 acres of land in Ammapalayam near Kannamangalam. “I fear that I will lose both crops due to the drought. Turmeric that was planted a year ago is ready for harvest. But banana, which was planted four months ago, is now withering due to lack of water,” he said.

 

Though the government announced drought six days before the model code of conduct came into force, it did not announce any relief measures like waiving land tax, converting the term of cooperative crop loans and providing fodder for livestock.

Farmer Muthukumar of Arni said, “The announcement was only a poll gimmick to get votes as the government did not take any follow-up action.”

“The government is solely responsible for water table depleting, as it is their party men who mine sand legally and illegally,” alleged Ganesh. As the Lok Sabha elections are ensuing, it is likely that the issue will affect the NDA combine.