High and dry: Farmers’ 6-yr wait for G.O. on advance kar cultivation continues

THOOTHUKUDI: Keeping their fingers crossed, the farmers at the lower riparian of river Thamirabarani have appealed to the State government to release water for advance Kar cultivation.

Citing water shortage the Public Works Department (PWD) had not released water for advance kar cultivation in the region in the last five years.

Condemning the PWD officials, the farmers cultivating paddy, banana and betel vines said that they would stage a road blockade at Mukkani on April 26 if the authorities fail to release water by April 25. 

As on Tuesday, the water level in Papanasam dam that has a full capacity of 143 ft is 105.20 ft, while Servalaru dam has 118.04 ft of water as against its full capacity of 156 ft.

A paddy farmer Rajendran of Naserath said that the PWD should release water to all the four channels in Thoothukudi district (including the east and west channels branching from Marudhur anaicut) for advance kar cultivation as the water level in both the dams are above 100 feet. "If it is delayed further, the farmers could not carry out cultivation as South West monsoon would intervene at the time of harvesting," he claimed.

Farmers who depend on north and south channels for cultivation said that the PWD should ascertain the storage position in March itself and should have taken steps to release the water by April 1 for advance kar.

When asked, a PWD official said that the government orders state that the advance kar water is applicable only for paddy crops. "But the farmers in the tail end of Thamirabarani predominantly cultivate cash crops like banana and betel vine creepers. The G.O. does not cover these crops for kar cultivation," he said.

PWD Executive Engineer Annadurai said that the water is sufficient only for irrigating 8,124 acres belonging to 'A' group farmers. "The scope for receiving water during southwest monsoon is very bleak. So water cannot be released for all the areas. However, water could be released only after the State government issues G.O. for the release. Due to elections, the proposal is pending with Election Commission of India (ECI) for clearance, as Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is in place," he added.

When contacted Thoothukudi MP Kanimozhi, said that she has requested the top officials to take steps immediately to release water for advance kar.