Southern Districts Farmers Association has welcomed the move of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, who has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for execution of Godavari-Cauvery-Gundar river linking project in totality.
The association functionary, R. Ram Pandian, recalled the Chief Minister’s communication to Prime Minister seeking to instruct the Union Ministry of Jal Jeevan on this issue.
The National Water Development Agency has planned to execute the project linking Godavari, Pennar, Palar and Vellar. This project would benefit only some parts of the northern districts of Tamil Nadu as the project would terminate few km ahead of Cauvery river. It would not fulfill the water needs of southern districts.
The Chief Minister has insisted that the project should be implemented as per its earlier plan of interlining Cauvery, Vaigai and Gundar to benefit the Gundar basin irrigation systems.
Mr. Pandian said only then lakhs of acres of ayacut in the districts of Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Virudhunagar and Thoothukudi would get permanent water source for irrigation. “Otherwise, the water source for these districts will become out of reach for farmers. That the Chief Minister has urged the Prime Minister that the full benefit of the scheme should reach the farmers of Tamil Nadu is very heartening for the farmers,” he added.
In the present situation, these districts are facing severe drought-like situation. With reduced water source, it affects irrigation and people are also facing drinking water shortage. Similarly, the farmers’ livelihood is affected due to water shortage for cattle,” Mr. Pandian said.
Making use of the 1,100 TMC of water of Godavari basin that is draining wastefully into the sea would help fulfil water needs of Telangana, Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Pudhucherry, he added.
The water source of 18 minor rivers flowing in Pudukottai, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram and the seven distributaries of Gundar river flowing from Madurai would get augmented providing ample drinking water for over lakhs of people. It would also help to increase the coverage of cultivation, Mr. Pandian said.
The association urged the Centre to consider this demand of Tamil Nadu and execute it in totality to improve the surface water source in the State.
Published – August 09, 2026 12:22 pm IST
