However, the farmers want the Centre to immediately constitute the Cauvery Management Board as per the order to ensure timely release of the state's share of water
The Cauvery delta farmers, who have been at the receiving end due to successive monsoon failure, fear the Supreme Court verdict reducing TN share of Cauvery water by 14.75 TMC would further affect irrigation in over one lakh acres of farm land. However, the farmers want the Centre to immediately constitute the Cauvery Management Board as per the order to ensure timely release of the state's share of water.
The cut in the quantum of Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water is a blow to the state and will affect irrigation in about one lakh acres, said 'Cauvery' S Dhanapalan, general secretary, Cauvery Farmers' Protection Association.
"The successive reduction in the quantum of water share from the interim and final awards of the Cauvery Disputes Tribunal and now by the Supreme Court raises serious doubts on whether the earlier assessments were wrong," he said.
Pointing out that the Centre had been reluctant to form a Cauvery management board, Dhanapalan said unless the board was formed and the release of water was ensured on a daily basis, the SC verdict would remain only on paper.
Dr BJ Pandian, director (in-charge) of Water Technology Centre, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University said the reduction in the quantum of the state's share in Cauvery water would obviously lead to a reduction in the agriculture land area under irrigation in the delta district.
Pointing out that the Apex court has reduced the state's share citing the availability of groundwater, he said that with the irregular availability of the river water in the coastal delta district of Nagappatinam has led to the ingression of sea water. "Nagapattinam district is entirely depended on the Cauvery waters for the agriculture while Tiruvarur and parts of Thanjavur districts rely on the groundwater," he said, adding that with the reduced availability of Cauvery water for the irrigation, the farmers were left with no option but to go for alternative crops like maize to get sustained income for their livelihood.
"The reduced quantum of water allowed to Tamil Nadu is a huge disappointment," general secretary of CPM-affiliated Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam P Shanmugam said.
"The Supreme Court's calculation of sub-surface water is not acceptable as vast areas in the coastal regions have only unusable sub-surface resources. Tamil Nadu must press for an appeal before a full Bench," he said.
Farmer rights activist P Ayyakannu who held a protest in New Delhi for over 100 days seeking farm loan waiver for Delta farmers has welcomed the verdict. "Though it is slightly disappointing that the quantum of our share has been reduced, we are happy that the court has directed the formation of Cauvery Management Board. The board, once constituted, will ensure the release of TN share of water as per the judicial orders and also that Karnataka does not increase its area of cultivation," Ayyakannu said.
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