With the water level at Bhavani Sagar Reservoir crossing 83 feet, farmers’ association in the district has urged the district administration to release water for irrigation on August 15 in the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) canal, Kalingarayan canal and Kodiveri anicut.
S. Nallasamy, secretary, Federation of Tamil Nadu Agriculturists Associations, in a press release said that catchment areas had been receiving good rainfall in the past one week and the inflow at the dam was also consistent.
Instead of waiting for the storage level to reach the maximum at the reservoir, water should be released on August 15, he said. Mr. Nallasamy said that last year, water was released only after the storage level reached the maximum level leading to 16 tmc surplus water entering the sea.
“The same mistake should not be committed this year and history should be created by releasing water in the three canals on August 15,” he added.
V.M. Velayudham, president of Kalingarayan Pasana Sabai, has also urged the district administration to release water from August 15 to April 30 as sufficient water is available in the reservoir. He also wanted the farmers to be given prior information on the date of water release so that necessary arrangements can be made by them to carry out cultivation.
Lower Bhavani Farmers Federation in a letter to the Executive Engineer, Water Resources Department, Lower Bhavani Basin Division, said that the dam could attain its maximum storage level in a few days and wanted water to be released on August 15
. The letter urged the release of water in the main canal with “even” number sluice gates and “odd” number sluice gates in the Chennasamudram canal ayacut area. K.V. Ponnaiyan, president of Tamil Nadu Swadeshi Farmers’ Association has also urged the district administration to release water into the LBP canal.