‘Kar’ paddy season starts on high note as water level in Papanasam Dam crosses 100-foot mark

The 'kar' paddy season in Tirunelveli district is expected to be profitable for farmers due to ample water availability.

The ‘kar’ paddy season, when the crop is cultivated between June and September every year with water available in Papanasam and Manimuthar Dams, is expected to be remunerative this year for farmers as both reservoirs have satisfactory storage even before the southwest monsoon is yet to gain strength.

Even though the southwest monsoon usually set overs neighbouring Kerala and along the Western Ghats from the first week of June every year, there were pre-monsoon showers here in the last week of May that has triggered much jubilation among farmers. Consequently, Papanasam, Servalar and Manimuthar Dams, which decide the fate of farming operations in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts, have started recording significant inflow of water.

The water level in Papanasam Dam, which stood at 69.80 feet against the maximum level of 143 feet on the corresponding date last year, stands at 103 feet even as over 8,500 cusecs of water is coming to the second largest reservoir of the district. Similarly, the water level in Manimuthar Dam, the district’s largest reservoir, stands at 86 feet on Wednesday against the maximum level of 118 feet. The dam had water level at 69.80 feet on this day last year.

“This is the district’s water position in the last week of May. Even before the actual onset of monsoon in June first week, water level in Papanasam Dam has crossed the 100-foot mark and Manimuthar Dam has water for about 86 feet. Since the southwest monsoon will certainly bring more rain over the next three months, we are likely to have rain for 90 days along the Western Ghats. Hence, the copious influx of water into the dams will certainly encourage more farmers to go in for paddy cultivation this year during the kar season,” said a senior official attached to the Department of Agriculture.

The department has set the target of paddy cultivation at over 22,000 acres in Tirunelveli district during the kar season.

Farmers having ranches between Papanasam and Kallidaikurichi have already started operations on over 2,770 acres with the water released from Manimuthar dam on May 1. Buoyed by the early monsoon and impressive influx of water into the Papanasam and Manimuthar dams, farmers from areas beyond Kallidaikurichi and up to Palayamkottai are likely to start their work in the first week of June, the officials say.

“Anticipating this situation, we have stocked all agro inputs, including chemical fertilizers in sufficient quantity, as the demand is likely to go up in July,” they add.