Chennai, Feb 28 (IANS): Farmers' organisations in Tiruchi district of Tamil Nadu have demanded the release of water from the Mettur dam for at least two weeks to prevent the crops from withering away due to heat and lack of water.

It is to be noted that the Mettur dam is generally opened to release water from June 12 and closes on January 28. However, with the water in borewells drying up and temperature soaring, the farmers demand that the Mettur dam be opened for at least two weeks to prevent crops from getting destroyed.

Farmers said that crops in around 1000 acres of farm land in Thingalur, Perumpuliyur, Rayapettai, Tillaisthanam around Thiruvayuru started withering due to scarcity of water.

The recent unseasonal rains have also caused destruction to crops but with the heat and temperature at their maximum, farmers said that crops that are 100 days old have to get some water.

Vasanthakumar, a farmer from Thiruvayuru told IANS: "Mettur water has to be released for at least two weeks so that our crops are saved. Unseasonal rains had destroyed large quantities of our crops but the heat that followed led to the fields parching and crops withering away. To save these crops, we need water from Mettur which is the only solution for this issue".

The farmer said that bringing in water in from other borewells was costing them a fortune and to water one acre of farmland, the farmers have to shell out Rs 35,000, and with such an expense they would not get any profit from the crops.