Trichy: Farmers affiliated to the Tamil Manila Congress staged a protest demonstration in front of the office of the executive engineer of PWD on Thursday demanding that water be released in 17 branch channels of the Cauvery including Uyyakondan canal to execute samba cultivation.They pointed out that even though the water released from Mettur dam had been flowing in Cauvery, the government was reluctant to heed the demands of farmers.Due to severe water shortage, a majority of farmers across delta districts including Trichy had not taken up Kuruvai cultivation this year as they incurred heavy losses due to crop failure. However, the rain which lashed the delta districts recently had steadily increased the water level in Mettur reservoir raising hopes of carrying out samba cultivation, the farmers said.When Cauvery flows, a total of 17 branch channels originating between Mayanur in Karur district and Mukkembu dam in Trichy district irrigate thousands of acres of agriculture lands in the district and the entire Kulithalai taluk in Karur district.The farmers have been waiting after making their lands ready to raise nursery for samba cultivation. However, the water released in Old Kattalaimettu vaical has not reached 20 km out of its full length of 54 km. Hence, the government should increase the water to be released from Mettur to 5,000 cusecs so that the 17 channels get enough water, said Puliyur A Nagarajan, state organizer of the farmers' wing of TMC.

Stay updated with all the Latest Trichy headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.