Tamil Nadu Pledges Action to Secure Cauvery Water for Farmers After Karnataka's Refusal

Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister R. Vinoth said on Thursday that the Tamil Nadu government will take appropriate steps to secure its share of Cauvery water from Karnataka to protect the livelihood of farmers.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a regional pre-Agriculture Budget consultative meeting with farmers, Mr. Vinoth responded to statements by Karnataka Water Resources Minister Ramalinga Reddy, who cited insufficient rainfall and low reservoir storage as reasons for Karnataka's inability to release water.

“Rights of farmers in the State will be protected. After discussing with the Chief Minister, appropriate steps will be taken to secure release of Cauvery water by Karnataka,” he said.

The Cauvery water sharing dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka has been a long-standing issue, with orders from the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and the Supreme Court governing allocations. Tamil Nadu has frequently sought timely releases to protect its standing crops, especially during the southwest monsoon.

Mr. Vinoth also detailed discussions from the three-hour consultative meeting, which included farmers from eight districts: Chengelpattu, Cuddalore, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai, Ranipet, and Tirupattur. Topics covered included increased mechanisation in cultivation, adoption of new technologies, efficient water use for irrigation, promotion of organic farming, support for food processing and value-added exports, and integration of renewable energy in agriculture.

The Minister noted that setting up fruit pulp processing units was a major demand from farmers, given the extensive mango cultivation in the region. Adequate storage facilities, including paddy procurement centres, and incentives for dairy farmers through free cattle were also discussed.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Human Resources Management D. Sarathkumar, Collector P.S. Leela Alex, officials from the Department of Agriculture, elected representatives, and farmers.