CHENNAI: Given the comfortable storage level and expecting that the southwest monsoon would be normal, the Mettur dam is being opened for irrigation on the traditional date, June 12, for the second consecutive year.
Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday announced this after holding discussions with Minister for Water Resources Durai Murugan, Minister for Agriculture MRK Paneerselvam and senior officials.
An official release here said as on Thursday, the storage level at Mettur dam stood at 97.13 feet (61.43 tmcft). Expecting the southwest monsoon to be normal, water would be released to delta districts on June 12.
"Around 5.21 lakh acres of lands (2.11 lakh hectares) in the districts of Trichy, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Pudukottai and Cuddalore would get water for irrigation from Mettur," the release here said.
With a view to ensuring the water released from Mettur dam reaches the tail-end areas in time, desilting in water canals is being taken up at a cost of Rs.65.11 crore. In all, 647 projects would be carried out. Also, the government has made arrangements to keep sufficient stocks of paddy seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and other agricultural inputs required by farmers.