TIRUCHY: Delta farmers have decided to hold a statewide protest on October 26, demanding that the state government declare the region drought-hit, in which several thousands of farmers across the State would take part.

The Tamil Nadu Cauvery Farmers Association state coordination meeting was held at Mannargudi in Tiruvarur on Friday, chaired by the State Joint Secretary V Swaminathan to discuss the adverse impact of El Nino on the farmers and the drought situation prevailing in the delta region.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the General Secretary of the association, PR Pandian, said the Delta region has witnessed extreme drought conditions due to El Nino, but the water released from Mettur on September 1 had not reached the branch rivers, tanks and lakes across the delta region.

“The crops cultivated through direct sowing had dried after the seeds sprouted due to water shortage, and these factors, coupled with the poor rainfall during the South West monsoon rains, had turned the Delta region almost into a desert,” Pandian said.

Pandian appealed to the State government to declare the Delta as a drought-hit region and commence the compensation process. “It is time for the State government to write off the crop loans without any condition and disburse compensation to the farmers who lost kuruvai,” he said.

He also appealed to the state government to initiate immediate steps to get the due share of water from Karnataka to ensure samba cultivation.

“We have decided to hold a statewide protest on October 26, and the farmers from Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai and Cuddalore would lay siege to the respective district collectorate on the day,” Pandian said.