ERODE: Discharge of water from Mettur dam has been stepped up to 12, 000 cusecs from Thursday, from 5000 cusecs, following demand from farmers in the delta region. PR Pandian, president of TN all farmers associations coordination committee, said, “Rainfall in the Cauvery delta districts has reduced considerably and the paddy crops are now approaching maturity. In such a situation the demand for water will be high.”
Officials from the water resources department (WRD) in Salem said, “As of now, 12,000 cusecs of water is being discharged from the dam to meet the irrigation needs of the delta districts. It will be increased as per requirement.”
Meanwhile, in Erode, the first phase of water release from the Bhavanisagar dam into the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) canal has been extended. Officials from the WRD said, “Water from the dam was released on 12 August to irrigate over one lakh acres of farm lands.
In between, water supply was suspended twice due to breaches in the canal. In order to compensate for this, the period of water release has been extended till January 15. “ As per schedule, the water release should have been stopped on 29 December. As of Friday evening, 2, 000 cusecs was being released into the canal and 900 cusecs into the Bhavani river.
Further, officials said water would be released into Kalingarayan canal from January 1. WRD officials said, “The government has ordered release of water till 30 April. Through this, 15,743 acres of land belonging to Bhavani, Modakurichi, Kodumudi and Erode taluks will be irrigated.”