MADURAI/THENI: Demanding that the state government release water from the Vaigai dam into the 58th canal for irrigation, nearly 200 farmers and members of several political outfits staged a road blockade protest near the Thevar Statue in Usilampatti on Friday.
The agitation coincides with the dam's water level reaching 69.72 ft on Friday, against its storage capacity of 71 ft. The dam's inflow stood at 1,326 cusecs, while the outflow was maintained at 569 cusecs.
Usilampatti block farmers have been persistent in their demand for the release of water through the 58th canal, citing an urgent need to store surplus in local tanks to aid irrigation, groundwater recharge, and drinking water supply in the region.
M P Raman, a farmers' representative, said, "Once the Vaigai dam reaches capacity, the surplus will anyway be released into the river. Instead, action can be taken to release water into the 58th canal, which can solve the irrigation woes."
Earlier that day, Usilampatti MLA P Ayyappan submitted a petition to Madurai collector, urging timely action on the matter. The agitation disrupted traffic in the area and the police detained the protesters till evening.
Speaking to TNIE on condition of anonymity, a senior official from the Water Resources Department (WRD) said the water is generally released into the 58th canal only during the peak monsoon season -- between November and December.
"Last year, water was released during the monsoon, which helped fill 32 of the 35 irrigation tanks in the region," the official said, adding that a similar release could be expected later this year.
However, farmers from Melur and Thirumangalam demanded that the government release water for samba cultivation during the first week of September. WRD is set to submit a special proposal to release water in the first week of September, ahead of the typical schedule (around September 15).
Officials noted that while the inflow to the Vaigai dam has slightly declined in recent days, the water level is expected to reach 70 ft by Saturday evening. The situation is being closely monitored to balance storage, irrigation needs, and monsoon projections, they added.