Sat Jul 05 17:22:59 UTC 2025: ## News Article:

**Farmers in Distress as Irrigation Delays Threaten Crops in Nagercoil**

**NAGERCOIL, July 5, 2025 (The Hindu)** – Farmers in the Thovalai taluk of Nagercoil are facing significant distress as delays in the release of water into the Anathanar canal threaten their crops. Despite repeated assurances from the Water Resource Department (WRD) that water would be released by the second week of June, ongoing restoration work near Surulacode has prevented the much-needed irrigation.

The delay stems from the restoration of the “Ulli Odai” brook at the Anathanar canal near Surulacode. Farmers raised concerns about this potential delay during a recent grievance redressal meeting. While WRD officials initially attributed the delay to a shortage of materials and promised a release by mid-June, water remains undelivered.

Chenbagasekara Pillai, a farmer from Thuvarankadu, highlighted that approximately 9,987 acres of agricultural land depend directly and indirectly on the Ananthanar canal for irrigation. He criticized the district administration and WRD for proceeding with restoration work at their own pace, disregarding the urgency of timely irrigation for farmers.

Pillai emphasized that the locally grown paddy varieties, “Ambai 16” and “TPS 5,” require a 110-day growth period. With over 35 days already passed and no water supply, fields are cracking, and farmers fear that even a delayed release will not salvage their yields. “There will be no use even if the water is released now. The farmers cannot achieve the maximum yield,” he stated. The situation is particularly dire in Siramadamam and other villages within the Thovalai taluk where paddy fields are already showing signs of withering.

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