People Asked To Use Borewell Water To Celebrate Aadi Perukku
PWD sources here ruled out the possibility of water flow in the rivers as storage is poor in Mettur dam. They suggested people use borewell water to celebrate the festival. Last year, the dam was opened on June 12 and there was water in the rivers to celebrate
THANJAVUR: Aadi Perukku, celebrated on the 18th day of the Tamil month of Aadi, i.e. August 3, to welcome fresh flow of water in the Cauvery, and its branches may not be a happy occasion this year as there is no water in the river.
PWD sources here ruled out the possibility of water flow in the rivers as storage is poor in Mettur dam. They suggested people use borewell water to celebrate the festival. Last year, the dam was opened on June 12 and there was water in the rivers to celebrate.
It is incidental that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay is meeting his Karnataka counterpart D.K. Shivakumar to discuss the Cauvery issue on August 3, Aadi Perukku.
Political parties and farmers in Tamil Nadu have strongly objected to holding talks on the Cauvery issue as the Supreme Court has given its final order in 2018, and as per the order the Cauvery Water Management Authority, is the final authority on taking decisions on the Cauvery.
As per the final order of the Supreme Court, Karnataka should release 177.25 tmc ft of water on a pro rata basis annually.
Tamil Nadu is yet to get its share for June and July this year. Karnataka has to release 9.19 tmc ft of water during June and 31.24 tmc ft of water during July – a total 40.43 tmc ft. But from June, only 3.50 tmc ft of water has been received by Tamil Nadu this year.
Meanwhile, the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee has asked Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water from Biligundlu for 15 days. But, Karnataka is not ready to release water.
In such a situation, paddy cultivation in the canal-irrigated areas in the Cauvery delta this year remains a big question.
Kuruvai (short term crop) could not be taken up in the canal-irrigated areas as Mettur water was not released on June 12. Now, raising samba also seems to be difficult as water storage has not improved in Mettur dam. Water storage was only 36.44 tmc ft in Mettur dam as on July 30.
Samba crop depends on Mettur water and the northeast monsoon. It needs 190 tmc ft of water. Samba is raised on nearly 10 lakh acres in the Cauvery delta districts. This year, all is not well for the farmers of the Cauvery delta. The DMK has also announced an agitation in the delta districts on August 3.
