TIRUPPUR: A project to divert surplus water from Amaravathi River to Vattamalaikarai dam will be implemented soon, Tamil Development and Information and Publicity Minister MP Saminathan said on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters after releasing water from the dam, he said, This dam was built to store surplus water from the Parambikulam Aliyar Project (PAP). Farmers have been demanding that surplus water from Amaravathi dam should be diverted here during rainy season.
The state government has decided to do this and has chosen Ilakkumanaickenpatti for the project. A Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been prepared by Water Resources Department (WRD). This project will be launched soon.”
The Vattamalai dam has water capacity of 268 mcft but remained dry for many years. In January, water was released into it from the PAP for 10 days. On Sunday, water was released from the dam. Through this, 6043 acres of farmlands in the Uthampalayam, Vellakovil, Ilakkumanaickenpatti, Mulayampoondi, and Puduppai villages in Kangayam taluk will can be irrigated. Water will be released till March 6.
Erode MP KE Prakash and Tiruppur Corporation Zonal Chairman L Padmanaban and WRD officials were present.