ERODE: Following the completion of the modernisation works on the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) canal, the water discharge from the Lower Bhavani Dam (Bhavanisagar Dam) was resumed on Saturday.
Every year, water is released from the Lower Bhavani Dam for irrigation on August 15. Similarly, this year too, the state government issued a GO to release water. However, due to the modernisation works on the canal, it was stopped immediately.
On Saturday, as the renovation works were completed, the water resources department officials resumed the water discharge to the LBP canal. “As all the works under the canal modernisation project have been completed, 200 cusecs of water were released from the dam on Saturday. The amount will be gradually increased.
“A total of 2,07,000 acres of farmlands are irrigated through the LBP canal. In this, water has been opened for 1,03,500 acres in the first phase. The water will be open till December 13,” officials added. As of Saturday morning, the water level of the dam was 82.92 feet against its full level of 105 feet. The water inflow into the dam was 203 cusecs.
Lower Bhavani Dam in the 69th year
The Lower Bhavani Dam, which is the main source of water for the people of Erode, Tirupur and Karur districts, entered its 69th year on Saturday. “The dam was inaugurated on August 19, 1955, by the then Chief Minister K Kamaraj. The dam was built across the Bhavani River between 1948 and 1955. It is a source of drinking water for lakhs of people,” said officials.