Anbumani Flags Mettur Water Crisis, Seeks Relief for Delta Farmers

PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss has raised concerns over falling water levels at Mettur Dam and warned that a significant portion of Cauvery delta farmland could remain uncultivated if water availability does not improve. He urged the Tamil Nadu government to announce financial assistance for farmers affected by the shortage.

Data from Tamil Nadu’s Agriculture Department showed that on September 21, Mettur Dam held about 46.95 TMC of water, with the reservoir at 84.84 feet. Inflow stood at 2,281 cusecs while around 12,003 cusecs was being released.

Anbumani said the situation could affect Samba paddy cultivation, particularly after farmers had already faced difficulties during the Kuruvai season. He cited the state’s water position and the uncertainty surrounding future inflows as reasons for concern. Tamil Nadu has separately told the Cauvery Water Management Authority that its available irrigation storage is limited and that continued releases are needed to sustain delta farming.

He has sought compensation of Rs 25,000 per acre for farmers unable to cultivate Samba or Thaladi crops because of inadequate water. He also called for Rs 10,000 per acre in input assistance for farmers who proceed with cultivation and uninterrupted three-phase electricity for groundwater-dependent fields.

The Cauvery dispute with Karnataka remains unresolved, with Tamil Nadu seeking additional water releases and alleging a shortfall in deliveries. The state has also approached the Supreme Court over compliance with water-management directions.

Published: 1h ago

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