SALEM: A day after Chief Minister M K Stalin ordered the release of 2 tmcft of water from Mettur dam to Cauvery delta irrigation, 6,000 cusecs of water was released on Saturday evening.
On behalf of the Cauvery delta farmers, a request was made to CM urging for water to save the samba crop cultivated in the delta districts. Subsequently, on Friday, CM ordered the release of 2 tmcft from Mettur dam. Following this, 6,000 cusecs were released.
Officials from the Water Resources Department (WRD) said, “Already 600 cusecs of water was released from the dam into the Cauvery River for drinking and irrigational purposes. Along with that 6,000 cusecs of water have been opened for Cauvery delta, which is a total of 2 tmcft of water. Through this, a total of 22,774 acres of farmland will benefit. The lands include 4,715 acres in Tiruvarur district and 18,059 acres in Nagapattinam district.”
“As for Saturday, the water level of the dam was 70.42 feet against its full level of 120 ft and the water inflow into the dam was 107 cusecs and the water storage was 33 tmcft,” officials added, At the same time, delta farmers said that 2 tmcft of water is not enough.
Speaking to TNIE, P R Pandian, president of TN All Farmers Associations Coordination Committee, said, “Water is required for two lakh acres of agricultural land in the delta. So, 10 tmcft of water should at least be released. Otherwise, this 2 tmcft of water will also become useless.”
Farmers request Stalin to release water
On behalf of the Cauvery delta farmers, a request was made to CM urging for water to save the samba crop cultivated in the delta districts. Subsequently, on Friday, CM ordered the release of 2 tmcft from Mettur dam.