TIRUCHI
Water released in the Cauvery river from the Stanley Reservoir in Mettur for irrigation in delta areas reached the Upper Anicut (Mukkombu) on the outskirts of Tiruchi on Tuesday morning.
Chief Minister M.K.Stalin had lifted the shutters of the Mettur Reservoir on June 12, the scheduled date for annual opening of the dam for irrigation. Kuruvai paddy is expected to be raised on about 5.21 lakh acres, including in the core delta districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam districts, utilising the water.
According to PWD sources, 2,000 water was realised at Mukkombu by Tuesday morning and the realisation is expected to rise gradually as 10,000 cusecs of water is being released from Mettur. The water is expected to reach Kallanai (Grand Anicut) later tonight. Water is scheduled to be released for irrigation from Kallanai on Wednesday by a clutch of State Ministers.
As the water flowed past the Mukkombu regulator, a group of farmers showered petals on the river in a gesture of happiness. Farmers in the delta region have expressed happiness over the opening of the Mettur dam on the scheduled date and are hoping for sustained supply right through the kuruvai and samba seasons.
A section of them urged the government to ensure that the Karnataka government released Tamil Nadu’s due share of water every month.
“The government should press the Cauvery Water Management Authority to direct Karnataka to release Tamil Nadu’s monthly quota of water as per the final verdict of Cauvery Tribunal and the Supreme Court order,” said Koundampatti R.Subramanian, deputy secretary, Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association.