DMDK MLA Premalatha Vijayakant has criticised the Joseph Vijay TVK government over the delayed opening of the Mettur Dam, warning that the failure to desilt and clear irrigation canals could prevent water from reaching tail-end areas in the Cauvery delta.
Speaking to reporters, Premalatha said the opening of the dam on September 1 was welcome but came too late for farmers who had already lost the Kuruvai crop season.
“The Mettur Dam was opened yesterday, September 1st—a welcome and happy event, certainly. However, the truth is that this has happened far too late; it is being released for Samba crops, the Kuruvai is gone already.
It will take a week or ten days for this water to reach the tail-end areas because the waterways are choked with hyacinth/lotus plants, thorns, and thickets; the channels haven’t been cleared or maintained. That is why we had urged them to desilt the canals beforehand—so the water could flow rapidly to the tail-end regions. But no desilting was done. With thorny plants, thickets, and hyacinth/lotus patches everywhere, how is the water supposed to get through? It is highly doubtful when—or if—it will actually reach the tail-end areas.
Let’s see. They say the water inflow into the Mettur Dam has already dropped, leading to a reduction in the release. So, if farmers cultivate crops relying on this, will there be water available when it comes time to harvest the grain? That remains a big question mark. That is why I say that for farmers today, life is like being beaten on all sides—much like the Ural (mortar) gets struck on one side and the Mathalam (drum) on both; they (farmers) are under pressure from every direction. The government must take note of this, waive all loans, and save the farmers. The issue isn’t about whether we travel by chartered flight or private jet, or how much government money—say, 10 crore rupees—is spent. The priority is protecting farmers; the government needs to waive agricultural loans and ensure canals are desilted so that water reaches the tail-end areas. Why hasn’t that desilting been done? That is my question. Our focus shouldn’t be on private jets, photo shoots, or self-promotion. Millions of farmers rely on this government for their livelihood, and I urge the administration to set a positive example for them. No one expects spectacles like chartered flights or putting glasses on an elderly woman; people have already seen all of that. What the public truly needs is genuine governance that delivers real benefits—that is the most important thing.”
‘Why Was Desilting Not Done?’
Premalatha questioned why the government had not undertaken canal desilting before releasing water from the Mettur Dam.
According to her, vegetation and overgrowth in waterways could delay the movement of water to tail-end regions by a week or more. This, she said, could further hurt farmers who are already dependent on the delayed release for Samba cultivation.
She also raised concerns over the declining inflow into the Mettur Dam and the consequent reduction in water release.
If farmers begin cultivation based on the current release, Premalatha questioned whether sufficient water would remain available when the crops reach the harvesting stage.
Loans, Canals And Farmers First
Premalatha called for agricultural loan waivers and immediate desilting of irrigation channels.
She argued that the government’s priority should be ensuring water reaches farmers rather than focusing on publicity or expenditure on travel and promotional activities.
Her remarks come amid continuing concerns among delta farmers over water availability and the impact of delayed irrigation on cultivation.
For Premalatha, the issue is not merely the opening of the Mettur Dam, but whether the released water can actually reach the farmers who need it.
The government, she said, must ensure that the canals are cleared, water reaches the tail-end areas and farmers are protected from further losses.
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