Farmers have exhorted the State government to lift the Mettur dam shutters on the scheduled date of June 12 for the kuruvai season.

Participating in the monthly agriculture grievance meeting chaired by Collector B. Priyanka Pankajam, farmers urged Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to visit Mettur dam on June 12 to release water for irrigation in Delta districts for kuruvai cultivation and requested him to visit the Grand Anicut subsequently to release water into the Cauvery, the Vennar, and Grand Anicut irrigation systems.

To ensure smooth disbursement of water for irrigation, they urged Mr. Vijay to insist upon the Karnataka government to release water due to Tamil Nadu as per the Cauvery Tribunal Award.

Exhorting the State government to ensure the availability of agriculture inputs in adequate quantity, they demanded the desilting of ‘C’ and ‘D’ irrigation channels be completed before June 12.

While demanding kuruvai package assistance, they requested the present government to fulfil its electoral assurance of waiver of farm loans.