Theni farmers seek drought declaration as 95 irrigation tanks run dry
Farmers in Theni district have asked the district administration to declare the region drought-hit, saying that drying waterbodies and shrinking river inflows have made cultivation difficult across the district.
The demand was raised on Friday at a farmers' grievance redress meeting held at the Theni Collectorate. The meeting was presided over by Theni Collector R. Vaithinathan.
Farmers told the Collector that 95 irrigation tanks in the district had dried up. They sought compensation for the losses they have suffered and said the lack of water inflow into the Varahanadhi and the Manjalar had left them unable to carry out agricultural activities.
Irrigation tanks, known locally as eris, are a traditional part of Tamil Nadu's water system. They store monsoon runoff, recharge groundwater and often serve as the main source of water for small and marginal farmers. When they dry up, the impact spreads well beyond the fields they directly supply, affecting drinking water and livestock as well.
A section of the farmers said bunchy top disease was affecting their crops, particularly bananas. Bunchy top is a viral disease spread by aphids that stunts plant growth and sharply reduces yields; infected plants cannot be cured. Farmers also complained that wild animals were damaging standing crops, and asked the authorities to take steps to protect their livelihoods.
Among the other demands placed before the Collector were measures to prevent disease outbreaks that could affect sugarcane cultivation in the district and training for farmers in producing bio-control agents, an approach that uses natural predators and parasites instead of chemical pesticides.
The farmers asked that all agricultural produce be procured directly by the government so that they receive fair prices. Some also demanded the full waiver of crop loans.
On local infrastructure, the farmers urged the administration to properly maintain the veterinary hospital in Rayappanpatti and to hold regular camps there. They complained that garbage was being dumped on the hospital premises.
The farmers also sought the proper implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, the law that recognises the rights of forest-dwelling communities over land and forest produce. They urged the authorities to remove encroachments from waterbodies.
Whether Theni is declared drought-hit is a decision for the state government, which normally assesses rainfall deficiency, the extent of crop loss and the condition of drinking water sources before granting such a declaration. A declaration can open the way for relief measures, including compensation, rescheduling of loans and additional funds for water supply.
Tamil Nadu's southern districts are largely dependent on the north-east monsoon, and a poor spell of rain in that season is felt most sharply in the following summer months. The grievances raised at Friday's meeting cover both immediate distress — water scarcity, crop disease and wildlife damage — and longer-term concerns such as encroachment on waterbodies and fair procurement prices.
The meeting was the latest in a series of monthly grievance redress sessions at which farmers place their problems directly before district officials. No decision on the drought declaration was reported from the meeting.
