The Hindu Business Line : Tanks in Cauvery delta region full

THE tanks in the Cauvery delta region falling under the jurisdiction of the river conservation division of the Public Works Department (PWD) in Tiruchi are almost full, thanks to the copious monsoon showers in the last few days.

Out of 187 tanks in the delta region comprising the districts of Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Perambalur and Karur, 181 tanks have reached their full level.

However, tanks in the rain-fed areas are yet to fill up. The storage in a majority of the non-PWD tanks has improved significantly.

According to the officials in the Agriculture Department, there has been no report of any major damage in the standing crops. The water release in the canals has been stopped and the situation is being closely monitored, they said.

However, the stagnation of water and poor drainage are posing a great agony for farmers in Thanjavur and Tiruvarur districts, as the tender crops sown late might get damaged.

According to Mr S. Renganathan, Secretary of the Cauvery Delta Farmers Association, if the transplantation had been completed before September 15, there would be every chance for the crops to escape damage due to inundation.

The non-desilting of small canals lead to inundation. The Agriculture Department officials have suggested the formation of an association of water users to maintain and de-silt the small canals for which funding could be obtained from the PWD and the Centre, the sources added.