Mettur Dam Water Crisis: Anbumani Seeks Relief for Delta Farmers
PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss has warned that 40 per cent of Cauvery delta farmland could remain uncultivated and sought financial assistance for farmers amid water shortages.
PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss has raised concerns over falling water levels in Tamil Nadu’s Mettur dam, warning that around 40 per cent of farmland in the Cauvery delta could remain uncultivated during the Samba season if water availability does not improve.
Anbumani attributed the situation to reduced Cauvery water releases from Karnataka and said the Mettur reservoir’s available storage was becoming insufficient for sustained irrigation. His remarks come amid wider concerns among delta farmers after the delayed opening of the Mettur dam this year. The reservoir was opened for Samba irrigation only on September 1, significantly later than the usual June 12 schedule.
He has sought Rs 25,000 per acre in compensation for farmers unable to undertake Samba or Thaladi cultivation because of water shortages. He also proposed a Rs 10,000-per-acre input assistance package for farmers who do cultivate and uninterrupted three-phase electricity until February 2027 for farmland dependent on groundwater.
The Cauvery water dispute remains a major concern for Tamil Nadu. The state government recently approached the Supreme Court over alleged non-compliance with Cauvery Water Management Authority directions and sought additional water from Karnataka.
Farmers in the delta have also reported uncertainty over Samba cultivation, with some switching to shorter-duration paddy varieties because of limited irrigation availability.
