NAGAPATTINAM: Despite the reduced flow of River Cauvery through the region, people in the coastal delta districts of Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai, and Karaikal, turned up along the banks of waterbodies in modest numbers to celebrate ‘Aadi Perukku’ festival. In the region, Kaviri Thula Kattam in Mayiladuthurai saw the highest footfall as hundreds, including newly-wed couples, visited the bathing ghat to participate in rituals.
The banks of the Arasalar in Karaikal also saw significant footfall due to its proximity to the sea and backwaters. Others in the region took to beaches like Nagapattinam New Beach, Vedaranyam Beach and Poompuhar Beach to celebrate the festival. According to the WRD, the outflow from the Mettur dam is around 10,000 cusecs. The dam storage level is currently under 60 feet.
The dam recently received fresh inflow due to the release of Cauvery water from Karnataka but it returned to a few hundred cusecs once the supply decreased. From the Grand Anicut (Kallanai), the Cauvery outflow was 104 cusecs.
A total of 8,104 cusecs are being released into the Vennaru and 1,500 cusecs into Grand Anicut Canal. With Nagapattinam benefiting from the turn system followed in the Grand Anicut on ‘Aadi Perukku’, the river’s tributaries and channels had a decent flow. Many farmers sowed seeds in accordance with the tradition of Aadi Perukku 'Aadi Pattam Thedi Vithai' ('seek and sow this Aadi month'). "We are waiting for better days to come. We are worried that commencing (samba) cultivation now may not be the right time," said S Ramadoss, a farmer from Kilvelur.