Kalingarayan ayacut farmers seek release of water from Bhavanisagar Dam

Demanding the release of water from Bhavanisagar Dam into the Kalingarayan Canal, ayacut farmers staged a protest on the Erode Collectorate premises on Thursday (October 8, 2026).

The farmers said they had submitted a petition to the Water Resources Department (WRD) and the District Collector last week, seeking the release of water into the canal for the single crop season.

Officials had reportedly assured them that a favourable response would be given by October 5. However, there had been no firm information on the release of water so far, they said.

On Thursday, the farmers met the Superintending Engineer, WRD, Bhavani Basin Circle, Erode, at the Collectorate. They said the recent rain in the catchment areas had resulted in copious inflow into the dam and raised its water level by three feet in two days.

The farmers said they required only 1.5 tmcft of water for 45 days to raise turmeric and other crops and that the WRD could release water according to a rotational schedule. With the northeast monsoon expected to set in during the third week of this month, more water was likely to flow into the dam and water availability would not be an issue, they said.

The farmers said they had already lost two crop seasons and wanted the water released at the earliest. The Superintending Engineer sought time to consult senior officials. However, as no decision was taken for a considerable time, the farmers began a sit-in protest at the Collectorate. They said they would disperse only after the water was released.

In the evening, officials assured the protesters that a decision on the release of water would be taken and communicated to them on October 13, following which they withdrew the protest.