Cauvery water reaches Mukkombu, Kallanai opening today

TIRUCHY: The water released from Mettur dam for Delta irrigation reached the Upper Anicut (Mukkombu) in Tiruchy on Thursday. Farmers gave a floral welcome and the water reached Grand Anicut (Kallanai) in the evening and will be released from there on Friday.

The water from Mettur dam was released on the customary date of June 12 and it reached Mayanur barrage on Wednesday evening and then reached the Upper Anicut here. On Thursday, farmers who gathered at the Upper Anicut, gave a floral welcome and sprinkled the paddy seed to mark the fresh season of cultivation.

Ayilai Siva Sooriyan, Tiruchy president of Tamil Nadu Farmers Association who led the farmers team in welcoming the Cauvery, said that they were elated as the water reached the Upper Anicut on time and thanked the state government for taking up desilt works on time to ensure the water reaches the tail end part of the district.

Since the water release was scheduled as per the customary date, the farmers had already commenced the initial cultivation works.

The water that was gushing through the regulator has reached the Kallanai (Grand Anicut) on Thursday evening. On Friday, the water will be released around 9.30 am through Cauvery, Kollidam, GA canal and Vennaru.

Farmers expressed hope that the kuruvai cultivation would reach the expected target of over 5 lakh acre and wish to have yet another bumper harvest this season.