Farmers in Tamil Nadu say release of 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery River water is less for them to survive.
Even as the Supreme Court directive to release 15,000 cusecs of Cauvery River water from Karnataka takes effect, farmers in Tamil Nadu say it's far too less for them to survive, many of whom have migrated to cities in search of employment.
Small farmers in Nagapattinam's Manjavadi village are migrating to cities like Tirupur and Chennai to work as daily labourers and security guards.
After running huge loans after successive crop failures, S Parimala says her husband was forced to take up a security guard's job in Chennai.
"We don't have money even to pay for our children's school bus. Women too don't get jobs as there's no farming activity," she says.
The village which many men have abandoned in search for jobs has more women now. They don't get work under the 100 day employment guarantee scheme.
"If we get Cauvery waters on time our fields will feed us. We don't have to depend on anyone else. We get free rice but most families don't have any curry to eat," says S Vanilla, who lives with her little son in the village.
Some farmers who took the risk of sowing paddy crops this season are distraught owing to lack of water for irrigation from dams and poor rainfall.
One such farmer Jahir Hussein says, "I thought Karnataka would release waters on time. In the worst case I thought there would be good rains. I may lose thirty thousand rupees."
Since the news of water being released from the neighbouring Karnataka, many have begun to tilt their lands. But farmers say they will need at least 40 thousand million cubic feet more for their crop.
Apart from the water crisis due to weak monsoon rains, many blame it on the Karnataka government.
Cauvery Dhanapal, President of the Delta Farmers Protection Association says, "Karnataka cleverly diverts water for its irrigation and says they have water only for drinking. They should store and share with Tamil Nadu. This has to be monitored. Then we would get our fair share even if it's less".
Karnataka however blames it on deficit rainfall and claims it has enough waters only for drinking requirements.
The crisis between the two neighbouring states continues even after a clear directive on water sharing by Cauvery Water Dispute Tribunal. Experts say the tribunal's guidelines on sharing water do not work during weak monsoons.