Initiate preparatory work for samba cultivation in delta districts, Tiruchi farmers urge government

With the Stanley Reservoir in Mettur getting good inflows over the past few days and its storage fast nearing the 100-foot mark, farmers’ representatives in Tiruchi on Friday called upon the State government to initiate ground work for samba paddy cultivation in the delta region

With the Stanley Reservoir in Mettur getting good inflows over the past few days and its storage fast nearing the 100-foot mark, farmers’ representatives on Friday called upon the State government to initiate ground work for samba paddy cultivation in the delta region.

“The Mettur dam is fast filling up and can reach its full capacity within the next few days. But as the storage position in the reservoir was poor for long, departments such as the Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering, Water Resources, Cooperation and others had not initiated any preparatory steps for the samba season,” said Cauvery Dhanapalan, president, Tamil Nadu Vivasaya Sangankalin Kootamaippu.

“The Agriculture Department needs to ensure availability of adequate quantity of quality seeds and fertilizers to farmers; the Cooperation Department needs to advance timely credit through the primary agricultural cooperative societies; and the WRD has to spruce up irrigation canals and masonry structures to ensure water flow to the tail end. None of these measures have been initiated so far and needs to be done on a war footing now,” Mr. Dhanapalan told The Hindu.

A section of farmers echoed similar views at the monthly farmers grievances meeting in Tiruchi on Friday.

Raising the issue at the meeting, Ayilai Sivasuriyan, district president, Tamil Nadu Vivsayigal Sangam, affiliated to the CPI, said the sharp rise in the inflow and storage at the Mettur Dam has brought cheer to farmers in Tiruchi, who until a few days ago were worried whether they would be able to raise even a single crop this year as they were not able to take up cultivation during the kuruvai season for want of water for irrigation.

“It was essential that the government takes immediate measures to enable samba cultivation by making available seeds, fertilizers, and timely credit through cooperative societies,” Mr. Sivasuriyan said.

He called upon the government to sanction a cash assistance of ₹12,000 an acre to farmers to enable them take up cultivation during the samba season.