Minister for Animal Husbandry Udumalai K. Radhakrishnan raised the shutters of Thirumoorthy dam in Tiruppur district to release water for irrigation of over 94,000 acres in Tiruppur and Coimbatore districts on Friday.
The water was released for the second ayacut of the Palar basin in Parambikulam-Aliyar Project. Mr. Radhakrishnan raised the shutters in the presence of Tiruppur Collector K. Vijayakarthikeyan, MLAs from two districts, PWD officials and representatives from farmers associations, a release said.
A total of 8,700 mcft water from Thirumoorthy dam will be released in four-and-a-half rounds for the benefit of 94,201 acres of agricultural land in Tiruppur and Coimbatore districts.
In Tiruppur district, 70,860 acres will benefit, which comprises 12,645 acres in Udumalpet Block, 6,150 acres in Madathukulam taluk, 19,658 acres in Dharapuram taluk, 17,645 acres in Palladam taluk, 7,266 acres in Tiruppur taluk and 7,676 acres in Kangeyam taluk.
In Coimbatore district, 23,341 acres — 20,351 acres in Pollachi taluk and 2,990 acres in Sulur taluk — will be benefited, the release said.
Apart from this, nearly 2,786 acres in the old ayacut of Dhali canal will also be benefited.
The water was released at the rate of 250 cusecs on Friday and will be gradually increased to 912 cusecs, according to the release.
Speaking to mediapersons, Mr. Radhakrishnan requested farmers in Coimbatore and Tiruppur districts to use the water judiciously. The Veterinary College and Research Institute, which will be set up at Pannaikinaru village in Udumalpet taluk this year, would benefit the farmers of Coimbatore, Tiruppur, The Nilgiris and Dindigul districts, he added.