The Tamil Nadu Public Works Department (PWD) is set to convene a crucial meeting involving officials and farmers to address the release of water from the Vaigai dam, following recent sporadic rainfall that has significantly elevated water levels. With the Kuruvai paddy season coming to an end and the commencement of the Samba farming season imminent, farmers have been eagerly urging authorities to open the dam’s shutters without delay.
Water scarcity had previously forced many farmers in the Madurai district to forgo Kuruvai paddy cultivation, and even as the Samba season dawns, they have been awaiting the opportunity to sow seeds, hampered by the lack of water. The recent heavy rains have augmented water levels in the Vaigai River and its associated reservoir, prompting the PWD to host this special meeting as the Northeast monsoon takes hold in Tamil Nadu. R.K. Ganapathy, a local farmer, emphasized the significance of this development, stating that farmers are now hopeful about commencing Samba paddy cultivation after a month-long delay attributed to water shortages in the reservoirs for irrigation.