Kaveri River Water Dispute and Reduction in Crop Productivity in a Sample Village Depending on River Water for Irrigation

Abstract

The essence of the Cauvery dispute is still a conflict of interest between a downstream state (Tamil Nadu) that has a long history of vast irrigated agriculture land and has in the process been making substantial use of Cauvery waters and an upstream state (Karnataka) that was a late starter in irrigation development. It has been making rapid progress and has the advantage of being an upper riparian with greater control over the waters. Frequent inadequate rainfall in Tamil Nadu every time to approach the Supreme Court asking for an immediate release of 30tmc feet by Karnataka to save the standing crops in Thanjavur delta. In keeping the above background of information about the two interstate problems, the Kaveri delta region is most affected during the past decades. Due to erratic monsoon season the delta which is solely depending on the Kaveri river water irrigation is another blow to the farmers. This has resulted the decrease in crop productivity and also majority of the land which was put to use for agricultural activities, now let on as uncultivated lands due to Kaveri river water for irrigation. The delta farmers and the agriculture worker are rendered without any agricultural activities and some of them who are exclusively depending on agriculture, like small farmers, have been suffered drastically for their day to day bread. The present research would highlight the loss of agricultural productivity from the past to the present, and how it has affected the granary of Tamil Nadu. For the purpose of the sample study a village namely Eachankottai, which is solely depending on the Kaveri river water for the irrigation purpose has been selected for the present study.