Photo in NICA
KARUR: Water was released for irrigation for the second consecutive year from the Aathupalayam dam, located at Karvazhi village near K. Paramathi in Karur district, on Friday. The reservoir has an ayacut of 19,500 acres.
Transport Minister M. R. Vijayabaskar opened the sluices and showered flowers on the water flowing from the reservoir along with Collector T. Anbalagan, Public Works Department, Rural Development and Revenue officials and farmers.
The dam, which was inaugurated in 1992, was constructed to harness surplus flood waters in the Noyyal river and the water draining from the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP). However, down the years, the Aathupalayam dam became a repository of polluted water and sludge carried by the Noyyal river from the dyeing and bleaching factories from Tiruppur and Coimbatore districts.
Following a court order, the dam was not opened for 18 years. Last year, water was released from Authupalayam Dam after a court case was withdrawn. The water was released after analyses of samples found that the Total Dissolved Solids level was well within the permitted level.
Water has been released from the dam this year too following good storage. As on Friday, the dam had a storage of about 224.34 million cubic feet (mcft) as against its full capacity of 235.52 mcft.
Farmers in Anjur, Thukkachi, Karvazhi, Thennilai, Munnur, Athipalayam, Kuppam, Punnam, Manmangalam, Vettamangalam, Punjai Pugalur, Punjai Thottakurichi, Athur, Punjai Kadambakurichi, Kuppuchipalayam, Minnampalli, Kathaparai and Panjamadevi would benefit from the water release.
Mr.Vijayabhaskar said that some of the canals carrying water from the dam have been desilted. Renovation works were also taken up on the Authupalayam Main Channel at a cost of ₹1.49 crore.
DRDA Project Director S.Kavitha, Assistant Executive Engineer, Noyyal River Basin, Subramanian and other officials were present.
ends