Cauvery water crisis: Paddy sowing in Tamil Nadu delta drops by over 1 lakh acres
The Kuruvai paddy cultivation season in Tamil Nadu's Cauvery delta region has seen a significant decline this year, with coverage dropping by over one lakh acres compared to the previous year. As on July 27, paddy was sown on 3.87 lakh acres, down from 5.05 lakh acres on the corresponding date in 2023, according to official data.
The reduction is attributed to the non-release of Cauvery water for irrigation, which has left farmers in the seven delta districts struggling to secure adequate water for their fields. Thanjavur district recorded the highest coverage at approximately 1.29 lakh acres, followed by Mayiladuthurai (97,000 acres) and Tiruvarur (88,700 acres).
An exception was Cuddalore district, where coverage nearly doubled compared to the previous year. K.V. Elankeeran, president of the Cauvery Delta Farmers' Association, explained that farmers anticipated sufficient water in the Veeranam tank, a key source for Chennai's drinking water, along with free electricity and groundwater availability, prompting them to increase sowing.
The water level at the Mettur dam stood at 73.7 feet on Thursday morning, with storage at 35.97 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft), against a capacity of 93.47 tmc ft. Tamil Nadu's realised share of Cauvery water at Biligundulu was 0.66 tmc ft in the first 28 days of July. Since June 1, the state has received 3.57 tmc ft, a shortfall of around 34 tmc ft.
Farmers fear that unless inflows improve substantially, the upcoming Samba-Thaladi season—which typically covers about 12 lakh acres—may see coverage drop to half or less. The situation underscores the ongoing water stress in the region and the dependence on monsoon rains and river sharing agreements.
