SALEM: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami inaugurated desiliting works in Mettur Dam at Moolakadu near here on Sunday. Stanley Reservoir, commonly known as Mettur Dam, was built in 1934 with a storage level of 124 feet. The dam is the main source of water for 12 districts.
The desilting is unique inasmuch as it is being undertaken for the first time since 1934. Inaugurating the drive, Palaniswami said that the first phase of the exercise aims at increasing the depth of the dam by removing the silt deposits.
“Earlier, farmers needed to knock at collector’s door to remove silt. However, the State government changed the rule and now they can approach the tahsildar for permission. The government will allow farmers to take alluvial soil from Mettur dam. There is no upper ceiling. We will soon launch similar drive for other dams in the State. In the first phase, we have earmarked `100 crore to desilt 1,519 lakes and ponds.
In the second phase, we will desilt 2,065 lakes at the cost of `300 crore,” the chief minister said.
Usually, Mettur water is discharged for Delta farms on June 12 every year. However, due to poor rains, water flow dipped this year with water level falling below 19-foot mark.
In the aftermath of the miserly monsoon, many political parties and farmers’ associations had urged the State government to desilt the dam.