In a bid to save their standing crops, the Confederation of Farmers Associations from the Cauvery Delta regions has declared a bandh scheduled for October 11, with a primary demand for the Karnataka state to release water for irrigation. Adding to their cause, the DMK farmers’ wing has extended its support to this critical issue.The decision to organise the bandh was reached during a meeting held in Thanjavur, where members of the Confederation and the DMK farmers’ wing participated. The focus of the meeting was the urgent need for water for Delta irrigation, especially to safeguard the standing kuruvai crop.AKS Vijayan, the State Secretary of the DMK Farmers Wing, highlighted the farmers’ plight. He noted that initially, things seemed promising as water from Mettur was released on the customary date of June 12, and the kuruvai package was announced promptly. Farmers enthusiastically took up kuruvai cultivation, expecting adequate water for the entire season. However, the situation took a dire turn when the Karnataka government failed to release additional water, despite an apex court order. This negligence has led to the withering of crops, affecting around 2 lakh acres of kuruvai cultivation.@@@@