The drive to the Sugarcane Breeding Institute (SBI) at Veerakeralam near here took more time than it normally would. Not due to traffic, but because residents enroute had lined the roads with their plastic pots, awaiting tanker water supply.

We stopped to talk to them, and learnt that they have been waiting for two days. “There's not a drop of water,” said Rajeswari, a resident of Seeranaickenpalayam, apologising for not being able to offer us a glass of water.

This was in mid-March, when the city received light showers. Since then, the temperature has continued to soar.

The tanker supply, locals said, was erratic. Many women stayed back from work just to ensure they got their quota of water. The wait seemed endless for the aged ones, and a frenzied struggle ensues when the tanker arrives.

“The water problem crops up every summer, but this year could be the worst: we have started to queue up by end-February, against end-April to end-June normally,” Rajeswari said.

The drought in Tamil Nadu is proving disastrous for farmers, too. The failure of the North East monsoon and a sketchy South West monsoon has meant that reservoir levels have plunge to their worst levels in 140 years.

The Stanley reservoir in Mettur, the lifeline of the Cauvery delta, has only 7 per cent water; half of the combined water supply schemes of the government, which cater to 10 districts, depend on the Cauvery.

As at end-March, the level at Mettur too has dropped to 6.5 tmcft (thousand million cubic feet), against a capacity of 93.47 tmcft. The last time the level dipped this low was in June 2013, when it touched an all-time low of 2.89 tmcft.

“Seasons come and go, but we have failed to learn our lesson. We should have taken this seriously much earlier,” said an octogenarianirritated with the government’s handling of the crisis.

Impact on crops The drought has impacted every crop, be it horticulture or cash crops such as cane and turmeric, water-intensive one like rice, and plantations, including tea and coconut.

A survey conducted by the SBI around end-February revealed that cane planting, which is water-intensive, has been undertaken only in 25 per cent of the area. Investment in drip will help conserve 40 per cent water, says Bakshi Ram, Director, SBI.

Rice cultivation is mostly done in the Cauvery delta zone comprising seven districts: Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Tiruchi, Pudukottai and Ariyalur.

Suresh, a farmer at Lalgudi near Tiruchirapalli, said he had cultivated rice in about 1.5 acres, but lost it completely due to paucity of water. “A complete loss. We hope the Centre will waive the loan, constitute the Cauvery Management Board soon, and impartially distribute water to both the States,” he said.

The net sown area under samba and thalady paddy is said to have fallen from 21.42 lakh hectares about three decades back to 15 lakh hectares.

Production too seems to have taken a hit. “Paddy sown directly was wiped out completely in the delta districts, while the transplanted crop that was dependent on Cauvery water withered,” say sources in the Agriculture Department.

Cultivation in around 3 lakh acres is said to have been under irrigated conditions, but even so, farmers said they registered poor yields of 700 kg to 1,000 kg an acre against the normal 2,100 kg/acre.

“The samba crop has been a complete washout this year and the kuruvai crop has failed for the fifth consecutive season due to prolonged drought,” said Dhandapani, a farmer near Thanjavur.

Dhandapani’s field at Oorathanadu has not seen harvest since January 2016. As his holding abuts a canal, he lives on hope of release of water from the Mettur Dam. “Even if a small quantity is released, it will save the crop when rain is scanty. But there’s not been a drop.”

Turmeric farmers in Erode said the acreage had fallen by 60 per cent this year from 10,000 hectares in 2015-16, largely owing to monsoon failure and the depletion of groundwater levels.

Coconut farmers in Pollachi say the trees may not survive if the situation persists. “A tree requires 100 litres of water a day, but we are unable to water even half that quantity. Tankers are becoming unaffordable,” said Prakash, a farmer at Arthanaripalayam.

Some farmers plan to chop off the head of the coconut tree to conserve water use. “A fruit-bearing tree will need plenty of water. By chopping off the head, we can keep the trunk alive and save the tree,” said Kandaswamy.

Farmers have been warned against drawing water directly from the river for agricultural purposes. Industries too face restrictions on drawing water from the Bhavani and Cauvery rivers. The food processing and textile bleaching and dyeing units located near Mettupalayam, Erode, Bhavani and Perundurai areas will likely be affected badly.

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