Cauvery

Rains continued overnight in Tamil Nadu's Cauvery delta areas affecting standing paddy crops and the India Meteorological Department on Wednesday said heavy to very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall is likely in a few places in Cuddalore and Mayiladuthurai districts, also part of the delta region. Rains submerged crops, partially and completely, at several places including those in and around Tiruvarur, Thiruthuraipoondi, Muthupettai, Mayilduthurai, Vedaranyam and according to farmers' rough estimates, crops over at least 2,000 acres were affected. In view of the rains, November 27 has been declared a holiday for schools and colleges, including Tiruvarur, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, and Mayiladuthurai districts. A holiday has been declared only for schools in Chennai, Chengelpet, Ariyalur, Kanchipuram. According to the IMD--Regional Meteorological Centre's update on Wednesday morning, the deep depression over southwest Bay of Bengal moved nearly northwards with a speed of 10 kmph and

Farmers of the Cauvery delta areas on Sunday staged a protest here seeking steps to prevent the flow of surplus water from the river into the sea, and demanded that barrages and a dam be constructed instead. Led by farmer leader P R Pandian, the crop cultivators demanded that the state government construct a barrage every 5 km across Kollidam river (the northern distributary of the Cauvery) so that surplus Cauvery water would not drain into the sea. They also urged that a dam be constructed at Rasimanal near Hogenakkal. Citing factors such as ground water depletion in areas close to the banks of the Kollidam river, they demanded that the government build multiple barrages. "We will not allow Cauvery water (surplus) draining into sea," they said, raising a slogan to oppose Karnataka's proposal to build the Mekedatu dam on its side.

Farmer bodies, Kannada organisations, and Opposition parties have called for a "bandh" in Bengaluru to protest against the release of water from the Cauvery river in Karnataka to Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have been locked in a decades-long battle over the sharing of water from the Cauvery River

Ready for harvest paddy crops spread over one lakh hectares in Cauvery delta region has submerged following unseasonal rainfall, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday and urged relaxation of paddy procurement norms including stipulation on moisture content. When paddy (Samba) is all set for harvest this month, heavy unseasonal rains in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai and Pudukkottai districts have inundated the standing crop covering one lakh hectares as per the state government's preliminary assessment, Stalin said in a letter to Modi. Samba is a long-term crop and it is the main crop for farmers of Cauvery delta region. Kuruvai is a short-duration crop. Though all efforts are on to drain the water, "we are concerned that the moisture content in the harvested grain is likely to be much higher due to the exposure to heavy rains." The heavy unseasonal rainfall necessitates relaxations in procurement norms, a mitigation

Tamil Nadu is vehemently opposed to the project.

Samples of the water have been obtained from several areas to ascertain the level of contamination and to initiate appropriate action

The state government's stand and the protests against exploration have put ONGC in a spot, with recoverable oil and gas reserves worth $8.5 billion stuck

SC has listed July 27 as the likely date to hear the contempt petition filed by Tamil Nadu govt against Karnataka and central govts against construction of Mekedatu dam over Cauvery river

Yediyurappa had on Saturday written to his Tamil Nadu counterpart M K Stalin urging him not to oppose the Mekedatu project in the right spirit

Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said the Mekedatu reservoir project across the Cauvery river will be implemented for sure

"Estimate has been prepared for Rs 10,700 crore and the WAPCOS (a techno-commercial firm under the Centre) is preparing the DPR," he said

"Suitable precautionary steps may be taken and downstream areas informed of the (water) release", the advisory issued by CWC's Southern Rivers Division

The apex court had asked the Karnataka government to provide 2000 cusecs of Cauvery water to TN

Various farmers' organisations on Monday staged a protest in various parts of the Tamil Nadu, demanding the constitution of a Cauvery board

The Supreme Court has directed the Karnataka government to release 6,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu till October 6

A meeting is scheduled between the two states tomorrow and then a decision will be taken, said CM Siddaramaiah

The apex court on Tuesday directed the Karnataka government to release 6000 cusecs of water till Friday

In its plea, Karnataka had said its reservoirs are dry and it can only release water to Tamil Nadu by the end of the year

Apex court doubled the quantum to 6,000 cusecs from September 21 to 27 after Tamil Nadu pressed for water to save its Samba paddy crop