Tamil Nadu irrigation schedule criticised as crops suffer losses

In a protest held in Erode on July 15, a substantial group of farmers from the Lower Bhavani irrigation region condemned the existing phased water‑release timetable for the Bhavani Sagar dam's three main canals. They contend that the current system, which dispenses water to the Thadapalli‑Arakkankottai canal in April, Kalinagar in June, and the Lower Bhavani canal only in August, has repeatedly deprived them of essential irrigation during the key sowing period.

The delayed water supply has resulted in the loss of multiple cropping cycles, particularly affecting rice and pulse cultivation. Over the last few years, eight rice seasons and sixteen pulse seasons have been reported as failed due to insufficient water. The region now faces a severe drought, and several villages are grappling with a shortage of safe drinking water.

Farmers urged the Water Resources Department to replace the staggered schedule with a simultaneous release approach based on the acreage irrigated by each canal. They also referenced Water Tribunal directives that call for fair distribution. The petition aims to eliminate recurring disputes, guarantee timely water access, and restore agricultural productivity in the affected districts.