Parched lands in delta region of Tamil Nadu on Thursday has welcome showers – shower of cooperation from across the border from Karnataka that released Cauvery waters. Of course this cooperation was forced as it was a Supreme Court order that forced the hand of a determined Karnataka government that wanted to deny Tamil Nadu its share of river water.

But on Thursday, after SC directed the Karnataka government to release 15000 cusecs of water to TN, there was no escape for it. It released the water accordingly yesterday, which reached Tamil Nadu on Thursday morning.

Farmers in Dharmapuri welcomed the Cauvery water with flowers and began sowing operations. Similar was the situation in Nagapattinam district too where water reached the fields on Thursday.

By afternoon, 4,000 cusec of water had reached Biligunduluvai village in Dharmapuri district. Farmers there prayed to the river by offering flowers before beginning farming operation.

The officials incharge of the Biligunduluvai dam checked water level at 8 a.m. and found no change from yesterday’s level. But by 9.30 a.m. the officials could detect new water entering with force that created a lather. And from then on, water level kept increasing, spreading happiness among farmers.

Cauvery water is expected to reach Mettur dam by late evening or tomorrow morning.

Meanwhile, farmers at Kariyapatinam in Nagapattinam district started to sow Samba crop, although farmers leaders said that the quantum of 15,000 cusec water was not enough to help all the farmers. But the Supreme Court order has paved the way for at least some water flowing into Tamil Nadu, which would witness Monsoon showers in October.

Tamil Nadu farmers and politicians are hopeful that chief minister J Jayalalithaa would be able to convince the SC to direct Karnataka to release the rest of 35,000 cusec that Tamil Nadu should get as per the tribunal award.

Meanwhile, traffic between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka through Hosur was disrupted for the fourth day, causing inconvenience to commuters. The water war between the two states will come up once again in the Supreme Court on September 16 when TN government petition for release of more water comes up for hearing.