The Cauvery Water Dispute: A Fresh Cycle of Uncertainty for Tamil Nadu Farmers The annual opening of the Mettur dam's sluice gates has long been a welcome relief for farmers in the Cauvery Delta region, providing them with much needed water for their kuruvai crops.
This year, however, the ritual was delayed due to inadequate rainfall and low reservoir storage, sparking fresh concerns about agriculture's sustainability in the region.
The timing of the dam's opening is deliberate, usually occurring on June 12 but pushed to mid September this year.