THANJAVUR: As Mettur dam reached its full capacity for the fourth time this year on Friday, farmers in Cauvery delta are distraught as water flow in Cauvery and Vennar rivers has almost stopped. Availability of water is crucial for raising nursery and transplantation work.The farming community was heaving a sigh of relief with the early onset of the southwest monsoon in the Cauvery catchment areas. However, the breach in the Kollidam regulators at Mukkombu came as a shock to them.
Though PWD officials assured release of water for irrigation would not be affected, the adverse effects started to be felt from last week. As flow from Karnataka decreased, water from Upper Anaicut at Mukkombu flowed into Kollidam through the breach rather than the Cauvery. The Cauvery in turn feeds Vennar and Grand Anaicut canal from Kallanai.
For over a week, water flow into the Cauvery and Vennar rivers from Kallanai has been drastically reduced. “Due to the breach in Mukkombu, water released into the Vennaru has been reduced completely,” said a worried Mannargudi S Ranganathan, general secretary, Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association.
The veteran farmer said, “For an emergency situation like this, the Army is the best solution. If the entire stretch collapses, all the water would flow through the Kollidam. The Cauvery would be deprived of water which could be used for irrigation. Even now, it is not too late. This is the time when the Army has to be deployed (to plug the breach),” said Ranganathan. He added the government should not be in denial of the gravity of the situation.
Heavy rains in isolated areas in next two days: Met
Chennai:The Meteorological department on Friday said heavy rainfall may occur in isolated places over Tamil Nadu for the next two days. S Balachandran, Deputy Director General, Regional Meteorological Centre, said that the rains would continue as an upper air trough in easterlies that runs from Telangana to south TN. “There will be one or two spells of heavy rainfall at some places.
Aside from that, the rainfall will be scattered. Rains will mostly be in the late evening or early morning. Daytime temperatures will be around normal in Chennai,” he said. On Friday, the Nungambakkam station has recorded a maximum temperature of 32 degrees, which is 2.8 degrees below normal and the Meenambakkam station 33 degrees.