Farmers have urged the State government to declare the delta region as drought-hit in view of the non-availability of surface water for irrigation and drinking water purposes.Participating in the monthly agriculture grievance meeting, chaired by Collector R .Revathi here on Friday, farmers raised slogans in support of their demand and about Karnataka government not releasing water and staged a walkout from the meeting.They condemned the upper riparian State for not complying with the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’s direction to release 3,500 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu.While urging the Centre to ensure that the CWRC direction was executed by Karnataka government, they exhorted Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to declare the delta Region as drought hit considering the erratic monsoon and non-releasing of water into Cauvery by the upper riparian State.Meanwhile, a group of farmers, who took part in the walkout demonstration, held posters condemning the releasing of untreated waste water from the erstwhile private sugar mill at Thirumandankudi in Papanasam taluk as the wastewater that flows from the distillery unit through the irrigation drain channels not only pollute the surface water but also affects the groundwater quality.Appeal to CentreThe Tamizhaga Cauvery Vivasayigal Sangam called upon the Tamil Nadu government to impress upon the Central Government that how crucial was the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’s recent direction to Karnataka government.“State government should present the prevailing water scarcity scenario for both paddy cultivation and drinking water purpose in the Delta Region to the Union Government and elicit positive response”, association general secretary P.R. Pandian said in Tiruvarur on Friday. Published - July 31, 2026 06:53 pm IST