Tiruchy (Tamil Nadu), Dec 29 : Farmers across the Cauvery delta districts have urged the Tamil Nadu government to extend the release of water from the Mettur dam until the end of February, citing widespread delays in Samba paddy cultivation caused by adverse weather conditions and crop damage earlier this season.

Traditionally, water from the Mettur reservoir is released on June 12 every year for Kuruvai and Samba cultivation and is mandatorily stopped by the end of January.

However, farmers say the current agricultural cycle has been severely disrupted, making the usual schedule unviable.

According to farmersâ?? representatives, at least 1.75 TMC of water is required every day to sustain the standing Samba crop.

This year, the total Samba cultivation target stood at around 14 lakh acres. Of this, Tiruvarur district alone accounts for nearly 3.60 lakh acres, followed by Thanjavur with 3.26 lakh acres, Nagapattinam with 2.55 lakh acres, and Tiruchy with around 1.50 lakh acres.

In addition, nearly 3 lakh acres have been brought under Thaladi cultivation across the delta region.

However, the northeast monsoon and the impact of Cyclone Michaung caused extensive crop damage, forcing farmers to delay land preparation and transplantation. As a result, the sowing schedule was pushed back significantly, leading to a corresponding delay in the water requirement cycle.

"Due to the prolonged rains and delays in assessing crop damage, farmers could not begin cultivation on time. Naturally, the demand for water has also shifted," said P. Ramasamy, a farmer from Tiruvarur district.

He said that while water is normally released from Mettur on June 12 and stopped by January 28, this yearâ??s situation is different.

"The samba crop is still in its critical stages. Harvesting, which usually begins in January, may extend till March. If the water supply is stopped now, tail-end regions will be the worst affected," he said.

Farmers have therefore appealed to the state government and the Water Resources Department to extend the water release at least until the end of February, stressing that such a move is essential to safeguard standing crops and prevent large-scale losses across the delta.

/IANS