MAYILADUTHURAI: Thousands of devotees, who have to make do with a shower more than a dip in the Kaveri Thula Kattam during the ongoing, month-long Aippasi Thula Utsavam owing to the Cauvery ghat water level being at knee level, can heave a sigh of relief as arrangements are being made to divert the river water from catchment areas so as to fill up the waterbody for theerthavari -- the concluding day of the festival. As part of Aippasi Thula Utsavam, which commenced on October 18 this year, scores of devotees are thronging the ghat steps in the heart of the town to bathe in the Cauvery in the belief that their sins will be washed away in the river water.
Kaveri Thula Kattam also hosts the Kaveri Pushkaram -- a festival held every 144 years, which was last held in 2017. With the water level in Thula Kattam, however, currently below knee level owing to no release of Cauvery water for irrigation in the delta region, Mayiladuthurai municipality is pumping groundwater from borewells and supplying it through pipelines so that devotees can at least take a shower. The devotees also use the borewells to bathe.
Devotees, locals and elected representatives, however, sought release of Cauvery water so as to fill Kaveri Thula Kattam to levels similar to 2017 when Kaveri Pushkaram was held. "We have considered the people’s demands. We are taking necessary measures to supply water to Kaveri Thula Kattam so that the devotees can bathe on Theerthavari Day of Aippasi Thula Utsavam," said Collector AP Mahabharathi. The district administration has reached out to the public works department (PWD) and the Water Resources Department (WRD) on the plan to supply water for Kaveri Thula Kattam on November 16.
"The inflow to Mettur dam is slowly on the rise. There is also decent rainfall in the catchment areas downstream of the reservoir and upstream of Mayanur barrage. The water released from Grand Anaicut can be directed towards Mayiladuthurai town to fill the Kaveri Thula Kattam ahead of November 16. Around 350 cusecs could be sufficient discharge from Thiruvalangadu," said a senior WRD official.
According to the WRD, the discharge at Mettur dam is around 500 cusecs while the inflow is 4,806 cusecs. The dam level is currently around 54 feet as against the total 120 feet. >From Grand Anaicut (Kallanai), the water release is 1,504 cusecs while the release into the Vennaru and Grand Anaicut Canal is zero.