Chennai, August 19: The National South Indian Reverse Interlinking Farmers Association has requested a meeting with President Droupadi Murmu on September 4. The organization aims to demand ₹1 lakh crore in compensation from Karnataka, alleging that the state has failed to release water from the Cauvery River, leading to drought conditions for farmers in Tamil Nadu.
State President P. Ayakannu stated, “According to the Constitution and Supreme Court directives, Tamil Nadu provides water to Karnataka every month, but Karnataka refuses to comply. Consequently, all categories of farmers are affected by the drought.”
On September 4, the association plans to submit a memorandum to President Murmu, requesting compensation based on the allegations against the Karnataka government for not releasing water from the Cauvery River as per regulations.
Ayakannu emphasized, “We have already sent a letter seeking permission to meet the President… Compensation should be provided to prevent farmers in Tamil Nadu from resorting to suicide.”
Meanwhile, water levels in Tamil Nadu’s reservoirs have significantly dropped due to a weak southwest monsoon and unusually high temperatures, putting pressure on the state’s water resources.
As of Monday, the total water available in 90 monitored reservoirs was 83.124 thousand million cubic feet (TMCFT), which is only 37.05% of their total capacity of 224.343 TMCFT. This situation is considerably worse than last year, when the reservoirs held 189.545 TMCFT during the same period.
The current water volume is less than half of last year’s levels, highlighting the severity of the rainfall deficit and raising concerns about irrigation and drinking water availability in several districts. Only the Gundar reservoir in the Tenkasi district has reached its full capacity of 18.43 million cubic feet, while most other reservoirs are significantly below their storage limits.
Out of the 90 reservoirs, 58 have less than 25% storage, 14 have between 26% and 50%, 15 have between 51% and 76%, and only two have exceeded 80%. In the Cauvery delta, the crucial Mettur reservoir had 43.275 TMCFT of water on Monday, which is 46.30% of its total capacity of 93.470 TMCFT.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.