CHENNAI: Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has ordered further release of water from the Mettur Dam for irrigation purposes, this time for the benefit of 87,736 acres of agricultural lands from August 15.
“I had received representations from farmers’ organisations for the release of water for irrigation. I have ordered the release of water from Mettur Dam to the benefit of areas served by the Pullambadi, New Kattalai and the East and West Bank Canals. This will bring benefit to 87,736 acres of land in Tiruchy, Thanjavur, Ariyalur, Salem and Erode districts,” Jayalalithaa said in a statement on Thursday.
The announcement comes on the heels of an earlier one by the Chief Minister, when she had told the Assembly on August 7 that water would be release from the Mettur Dam to irrigate around 12 lakh acres of agricultural land from August 15.
Meanwhile, water was released from the Grand Anaicut on Thursday for samba crop in the districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Pudukkottai and Cuddalore.