Water was released for irrigation of 1.05 lakh acres of ayacut of single crop areas in Madurai, Sivaganga and Dindigul districts on Sunday.
Cooperation Minister Sellur K. Raju, along with Madurai Collector T.G. Vinay, released water from Kallandhiri regulator to irrigate 85,563 acres of ayacut in the single crop areas of Periyar Main Canal. Revenue Minister R.B. Udhayakumar, along with Dindigul Collector M. Vijayalakshmi released water for irrigating 19,439 acres of ayacut of Tirumangalam Main Canal.
Water will be released for 120 days for irrigation of single crop areas in Vadipatti, Madurai North, Melur, Tirumangalam and Usilampatti blocks in Madurai district, Nilakottai in Dindigul district and Tirupattur in Sivaganga district. The quantum of water to be released will be based on quantum of rainfall and storage in the dam.
Joint Director of Agriculture T. Vivekanandan said many farmers of single crop areas had already started nursery preparation. “We are asking farmers to cultivate medium and long duration paddy varieties. The farmers have also been encouraged to raise nursery and undertake cultivation through System of Rice Intensification, as it gives higher yield,” he said. All inputs, including seeds and fertilizers, are available at sufficient quantities at the agriculture extension centres, he added.
M. Murugan, president of Periyar Single Crop Farmers’ Association, said the water was released around 10 days behind schedule. “Officials informed the farmers about the date of release of water in advance and this helped farmers to prepare nurseries,” he said.
But many farmers who had harvested banana and sugarcane during the lockdown period had suffered huge losses. “These farmers are struggling to raise paddy, as the labour and input costs have also risen. Hence, the officials must ensure that these farmers can easily get loans and start cultivation of paddy,” he said.
R. Palani, a farmer from Poruppu Mettupatti village of Usilampatti taluk, said it must be ensured that water reaches the tail-end areas too.
Water was released from Vaigai dam on August 31 to irrigate 45,041 acres of ayacut of the double crop areas in Madurai and Dindigul districts.