The Cauvery Padugai Farmers Federation has mooted the implementation of a scheme to pump and store flood waters in irrigation tanks in Kulithalai, Thogamalai, and Krishnarayapuram blocks in Karur district.

“With global warming, monsoons have become erratic, there is a need to think of ways to judiciously harness the flood flows in the Cauvery between August and December months,” said S. Jeyaraman, president of the federation and former Dean of TNAU’s Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute, Tiruchi.

Once the Mettur dam reaches its capacity, the inflow has to be released. During profuse monsoon rain over Kerala and Karnataka, more than one lakh cusecs is discharged in the Cauvery and the Water Resources Department starts diverting a portion of the water into the Kollidam from the Upper Anicut (Mukkombu), he pointed out.

He suggested that the government implement a project to link major tanks in Kulithalai, Thogamalai, and Krishnarayapuram blocks of Karur district. There are 14 tanks under WRD in Kulithalai, Thogamalai, and Krishnarayapuram blocks. “If the flood waters are pumped to these and other major panchayat union tanks even once in two years, it would greatly help recharge groundwater in the region,” Mr. Jeyaraman told The Hindu.

Reiterating the demand of farmers to build a barrage across the Cauvery near Marudhur and Umayalpuram, Mr. Jeyaraman said establishing a high power pumping station at the Kulithalai to pump water to tanks such as the Sivayam, Pappakkapatti, Panchapatti, Kazhugur, Perur, Nallur, Pathiripatti, Vadaseri, Pillur, Alathur, Keezha Valliyur and Puthur tanks. The pumping system could be powered with solar energy to reduce costs, he said in a representation sent to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.

The storage of water in tanks will help in a big way in recharging the water table, which has gone down alarmingly, causing stress for the local bodies in ensuring drinking water supply for residents and livestock, Mr. Jeyaraman said.

“The Chief Minister is expected to visit Karur soon and we appeal to him to announce the project during his visit as it would immensely benefit the farmers of the district,” Mr. Jeyaraman said.