Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin orders water release from Mettur on May 24

SALEM: Farmers in the delta districts were happy after chief minister M K Stalin on Saturday directed the Public Works Department (PWD) officials to release water from the Stanley Reservoir at Mettur on May 24 for kuruvai cultivation.
Traditionally, water is released from the dam on June 12. This is for the first time in the history of the reservoir that a decision is taken to release the water for kuruvai crop three weeks before the customary date. The move comes after the water level in the dam increased by more than 4ft to 115.35ft on Saturday morning from 111ft on Friday night against its full storage capacity of 120ft. In a press statement, the state government said about four lakh acres of agricultural land in Trichy, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Karur, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Pudukkottai and Cuddalore would be benefitted. A PWD official said the inflow to the dam was recorded at 47,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) on the day. "It is the first time since 1957 that the dam is receiving above 40,000cusecs of water in May. The inflow has increased because of the continuous rain in its catchment areas."
Stalin, meanwhile, asked the farmers to prepare for kuruvai cultivation. The state government has been desilting canals in the delta region snice April 23 at a cost of 80 crore. "This will help water from the Mettur dam reach the tail-end villages of delta districts," Stalin said. He ordered delta district collectors to keep fertilizers and other agricultural materials ready for the farmers and directed banks to help the needy farmers with agricultural loans.