Rains ease over delta; focus shifts to drainage, crop protection

With heavy rain under Cyclone Ditwah’s influence easing to light or no showers across the Cauvery delta, the administrative units of the districts in the region have shifted focus from emergency response to draining stagnant water and protecting samba crop at a critical stage.

From Sunday evening, most parts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam and Karaikal recorded only light to very light rainfall, officials said. On Monday, several stations reported trace or no rain, creating a window for field operations.

Sources in multiple districts said Agriculture Department officials have been co-opted with Water Resources Department (WRD) engineers, and removal of water hyacinth in irrigation channels and drains is under way “in full swing” to improve flow. Motor and oil engines are being deployed widely to pump out water from low-lying residential pockets and inundated fields.

In Mayiladuthurai, Collector H. S. Srikanth inspected samba fields surrounded by rainwater in Aarupathi, Kalagasthinathapuram and Kaliappanallur villages in Tharangambadi taluk. He interacted with farmers, reviewed drainage routes and instructed officials to ensure that field channels and branch canals carry water out without obstruction.

District officials said WRD and Agriculture teams are working together to let water out of paddy fields, while rural development officers, municipal commissioners and town panchayat officials are engaged in draining water from habitations. Complaints to the control room at the Mayiladuthurai Collectorate are being routed to line departments for action.

In Tiruvarur, only light rain was reported. Oil-engine pumps are in use at several points, while hyacinth and weed removal is progressing in the Odambogiyar river and Kalaniyaru to speed up outflow and prevent backflow into fields.

In Nagapattinam, where a local holiday had earlier been declared due to Nagore Kanduri festival however revenue and agriculture staff continued crop damage enumeration and estimates of drainage time for inundated tracts. Sub-collectors, municipal and town panchayat officials are overseeing deployment of pumps and machinery in low-lying areas, sources said.

In Karaikal, only light showers were recorded, enabling systematic desilting and drainage work, according to district officials.

In Thanjavur, the district administration is monitoring the control room round the clock. Rain-related complaints on house damage, inundation and tree fall are being logged and forwarded to the concerned departments, with particular focus on draining water from samba and thaladi fields that were heavily flooded last week.

In Pudukkottai, according to the daily report, 16 huts and 36 pucca houses were partially damaged, and livestock loss included seven cows, 13 goats, two bullocks and three calves.