Central team completes assessment of crops

The members of the committee headed by Chief Engineer, Water Resources, Jacob Mahendran, were shown withered crops and parched fields in Tiruchirappalli, Thanjavur and Tiruvarur.

Passing interim orders on a petition by Tamil Nadu seeking immediate release of Cauvery water by Karnataka to save the withering crops, the Supreme Court had yesterday directed the Central Water Commission Chairman to appoint an experts' panel of three members to visit the delta region and submit a report to it latest by February 6.

Farmers said if they got three more turns of water (wetting), crops could be saved in most parts.

State Commissioner for Revenue Administration T.S.Sridhar, Agriculture Sectretary Sandeep Saxena and PWD officials accompanied the central team members and briefed them about normal area of cultivation and the actual area covered as well as the area where the crops had failed due to lack of water.

Jacob said they had come to assess the condition of the crops and they would submit their report by tomorrow evening.