Tamil Nadu officials urged to secure water flow for Trichy’s Samba rice season
Trichy’s farming community has sent an urgent appeal to the Tamil Nadu administration, calling for an uninterrupted flow of Cauvery water through the district’s 17 irrigation canals. The request comes as Samba rice nurseries face the prospect of drying out if water does not reach the Karikal gate in time.
The growers planted Samba rice seedlings expecting a reliable canal supply. So far, several farms have reported no water, casting doubt on their ability to complete planting before the seasonal deadline.
The release of water from the Mettur reservoir began on 1 September, reaching the Karikal gate on Sunday. Farmers are now demanding a backup strategy in case the current release volume cannot be sustained.
On Tuesday evening the reservoir level was 84.16 feet, holding roughly 46,228 million cubic feet of water. The Water Resources Department logged an inflow of 3,867 cusecs, while 12,000 cusecs are being discharged downstream, widening the gap between incoming and outgoing water.
According to the cultivators, the present flow may support irrigation for only about 25 days, after which water could become scarce. They have asked the state to clarify how it intends to protect crops if canal deliveries are reduced.
In the previous agricultural year, 54,929 hectares of land in Trichy were devoted to Samba rice. The agriculture department has yet to announce a sowing target for this season, leaving farmers without a clear benchmark for planning.
Power supply interruptions have prevented the use of electric pumps in many nurseries, prompting calls for diesel‑fuel subsidies so that diesel pump sets can be operated to keep seedlings alive.
Representatives from Thirupparaithurai block noted that three weeks after the Cauvery water release began, the Puthu Ayyan canal—critical for their fields—remains dry. They have asked the state to detail the steps it will take to avoid crop loss across the district.
P.R. Pandian, chair of the Tamil Nadu All Farmers Union coordination committee, appealed to the government to engage the Cauvery Water Management Authority to secure the state’s share of river water as ordered by the Supreme Court.
Water officials confirmed that water has already been let into canals such as Uyakkondan, and expect that by Wednesday the flow will reach the remaining agricultural lands. In the delta, water was released from the Kallanai barrage a day after the initial 7 September release, but staggered distribution could add another one to two days before it reaches farms.