Cauvery delta farmers delay paddy cultivation due to low Mettur dam water releases

Farmers in the Cauvery delta are delaying samba paddy cultivation due to insufficient water reaching the canal systems. Although water was released from the Mettur dam on September 1, many canals remain dry because the current flow rates are significantly below the systems' carrying capacities.

In the Cauvery system, the flow is recorded at 4,901 cusecs against a capacity of 10,691 cusecs, while the Vennar and Grand Anicut canals are also operating well below their limits. P. Chinnadurai, president of the Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Protection Association, stated that the current release of approximately 12,000 cusecs from Mettur is inadequate for tail-end areas and called for a release of 22,000 cusecs to ensure water reaches the entire network.

The delay in irrigation has caused concerns that crops may be exposed to heavy rains during the upcoming northeast monsoon. Some farmers may be forced to postpone sowing until October, potentially affecting up to 90 percent of cultivators in the region.