Dry catchment areas near Palar in Walajah brought under cultivation

Officials say farmers could cultivate on dry land to maximise their yield and income

Farmers, especially those along the Palar river near Walajah in Ranipet, are cultivating in dry catchment areas for a fortnight.   The catchment areas are mostly lakes and tanks along the dry Palar. Shrinking water levels in waterbodies due to the increasing temperature between March and May have been ideal for farmers, especially those who have been cultivating along these waterbodies, to bring dry catchment land under cultivation. 

“Such extension of cultivation helps us increase production. It also helps us tap into groundwater from these dry lake beds to irrigate crops,” said T. Velu, a young farmer in Kaveripakkam near Walajah. At present, Ranipet has over 4,500 hectares under cultivation. It includes mainly paddy, banana, groundnut, vegetables like green chilies, brinjal and tomatoes, covering major areas like Nemili, Thimiri, Arcot, Kaveripakkam, Walajah and Sholinghur. Except Thimiri, other areas are located along the Palar and are connected through a series of channels. 

Lakes, tanks and ponds in these farming areas discharge excess rainwater to the river during monsoon. During the heavy rain last year, over 2,000 hectares of paddy were submerged in the district, especially along the river. Farmers said such extension of cultivation into dry catchment areas along the river during summer helps them cover their loss to an extent. Officials of the Department of Agriculture said farmers could cultivate on dry land to maximise their yield and income. Such efforts help them compensate their loss, caused by drought and floods.

Paddy and banana are the preferred crops on these dry catchment areas as they need soil wetness for their growth and can be maintained with less labour. On an average, farmers along such dry catchment areas double their cultivation with respect to area of coverage during summer. Every year, paddy cultivation is done thrice a year. “Farmers along such dry catchment areas are less. It is a traditional practice by farmers along waterbodies to maximise their yield,” said Mr. Velayudham, Joint Director (JD), Department of Agriculture (Ranipet).