Chennai, Jun 26: If the channels are not desilted, the water from Cauvery -- the lifeline for the Kuruvai paddy farmers -- will go to waste thus leading to inadequate watering resulting in crop losses.

R. Swaminathan, a farmer from Karaikkal district, told IANS: “The water from Cauvery was released on June 12 from Mettur dam by the Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. The water is cruising along but desilting works are incomplete in many areas of our district. This would lead to inadequate watering of our farms thereby incurring crop losses.”

The Karaikal Regional Farmers welfare association has also taken up the issue with the authorities.

Association member P.G. Somu said: “ The water from Cauvery is all set to enter the district in a week and we have requested the authorities concerned to complete the desilting works before that.”

However PWD authorities told media persons that of the 180 km of channels in Karaikkal, 100 km has been desilted and that the remaining work would be completed before water enters the district.

The Rural Development Department (RDD) is also in the process of desilting the channels and have already completed 300 km in its jurisdiction.

The shortage of labour is a major issued faced by the RDD and the PWD for desilting works as these workers are mostly employed as farm labourers.