Widespread rain in Delta revives hopes of farmers

The Cauvery delta districts continued to receive widespread rainfall on Wednesday bringing some relief to worried farmers who have been pinning their hopes on the northeast monsoon to sustain the standing samba/thaladi crops.

The Cauvery delta districts continued to receive widespread rainfall on Wednesday bringing some relief to worried farmers who have been pinning their hopes on the northeast monsoon to sustain the standing samba/thaladi crops.

Budalur in Thanjavur district recorded the maximum rainfall of 67 mm while Mayiladuthurai recorded 52 mm in the 24-hour period ending 8 a.m. on Thursday. The chief amount of rainfall recorded during the same period in the other parts of the core delta districts were as follows (in mm): Nagapattinam 44.70, Velankanni 42.40, Sirkazhi, 40.8, Thirukattupalli 39.60, Kudavasal 37.20, Sembanarkoil 32.2, Manalmedu 31, Kollidam 28, Thirukkuvalai 21.90, Valangaiman 19.20, Muthupettai 18.40, Needamangalam 17.80 and Tiruvarur 16.20.

Some parts of Pudukottai district received moderate showers with Arimalam recording the maximum of 28 mm and Thirumayam 24 mm. In Tiruchi district, Pullambadi (38.2), Vathalai Anicut (34.7) and Thenparanadu (34) received good showers during the same period. The sky remained overcast for most of the day in the region on Thursday.

Meanwhile, irrigation tanks in the Thuraiyur region continued to get good inflows. Following heavy inflow from the Pachamalai region, the Thuraiyur Periya Eri, spread over 285 acres, has been overflowing over the past few days, bringing cheer to farmers in the belt. The surplus waters from tanks flows into the Thuraiyur Chinna Eri and other irrigation tanks in the region.

Of the 112 irrigation tanks under the control of the Ariyar Division of the Water Resources Department in Tiruchi and Karur districts, only five tanks had about 95% storage. These included the Thuraiyur Periyar Eri, Chinna Eri and the Senappanallur tank in Thuraiyur sub-division. Jamberi, one of the biggest tanks in the district, the Sirunavalur and Alathudayanpatti tanks in Uppilliyapuram region had 95% storage. Three other tanks in the division had 71-80% storage and 31 had up to 25% storage. As many as 65 tanks had dead storage as the northeast monsoon is yet to turn vigorous in Tiruchi region.