KARAIKAL:Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy welcomed the Cauvery river, which entered the boundary of Karaikal district on Sunday, praying for farmers as the arrival of water was delayed by more than a day.
“We pray for a good samba season for farmers who sow their seeds in the Tamil month of Aadi. We pray for the prosperity of farmers and good yield at the end of cultivation. We are glad they would be cultivating the samba crop in time without any difficulties,” said Narayanasamy while addressing reporters. Accompanied by Agriculture Minister R Kamalakkannan, Puducherry Development Commissioner A Anbarasu, Karaikal Deputy Collector A Vikranth Raja, PWD officials, and farmers, the Chief Minister stood atop ‘Madhur Head’ on Sethur bridge, showered flowers and grains welcoming the Cauvery which enters Karaikal as the Noolar river.
The CM had originally planned to welcome the river at Nallambal regulator on Saturday morning when he arrived in Karaikal. However, water came in slowly while travelling towards Karaikal due to percolation into the ground. The water still did not reach Nallambal regulator, where the Chief Minister traditionally awaits its arrival. Having figured the water would not reach soon and be stored in the regulator’s catchment area, Narayanasamy decided to go to the neighbouring village of Sethur on the border of Nagapattinam and Karaikal.
Five swept away by strong currents
Tiruchy: Three youngsters from Villupuram district were swept in the fast-flowing Cauvery on Sunday. Fire and Rescue Services personnel have instituted a search team to find the three victims. In another incident, an 18-year-old youth from Kattur drowned in the Kollidam river on Saturday. Five youngsters - Jeya Kumar, Suresh Babu, Sasi Kumar, Vignesh (14) and Sasi (19) - from urban Villupuram district, were returning from a visit to Kutralam. While crossing the Cauvery bridge in Tiruchy, on viewing the Cauvery in full flow, Sasi, Vignesh and Sasi Kumar decided to bathe in the ghats near Thiruvalarsolai leaving the other two in the car. Since the river current was strong, all three youths were swept away.
River reaches last regulator
Nagapattinam: After ten days of journeying from Mettur, Cauvery finally reached the last regulator in Melayur in Sirkazhi on Sunday. The PWD has hinted that a regulator would be built downstream of Melayur to recharge groundwater. When Express questioned about a possible way to extend the length of the river beyond the last regulator in Melayur, PWD officials said, “We have submitted a proposal to build a regulator in Poompuhar at the cost of D8 crore. The spot is five kilometres from Melayur and 500 metres from the river mouth in Poompuhar. The water stored in Poompuhar will help recharge the groundwater and for people who are unable to use their groundwater due to salinity caused by seawater intrusion.”