Deputy CM opens Vaigai Dam for irrigation ahead of schedule

Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam inaugurated the proceedings at the dam site in the presence of Forest Minister Dindigul C Sreenivasan, Cooperation Minister Sellur K Raju and Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management RB Udhayakumar.  After opening the shutters, the Deputy Chief Minister said 1,130 cusecs would be released for irrigation for a period of 120 days depending on storage and inflow as per the directive of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami.

Normally, water for irrigation would be released on September 15 as per Government Order from the Vaigai, but copious rainfall received during the Southwest Monsoon necessitated the authorities to release water from the dam much ahead of the schedule. It was during 1984, 1991 and 2005, water was released days ahead of schedule from this dam, he told reporters.

It would benefit farmers to irrigate single crop on a total of 1, 05,002 acres including 85,563 acres under Periyar Ayacut and 19,439 acres under Thirumangalam Main Channel.

On the whole, the water release would cater to needs of farmers relying on 98,764 acres in Madurai district, 199 acres in Dindigul district and 6,039 acres in Sivaganga district. Moreover, he advised the farmers to raise short term crops for more yield and also to use water judiciously.

Responding to a query, he said the government would implement a scheme soon to release water into the 58th channel. Besides, water would be released into the 18thchannel, Thanthai Periyar Channel and PT Rajan Channel in a day or two. 

As per a Supreme Court order, water level in Mullaperiyar Dam was reduced from 142 feet to 141 feet considering the flood situation in Kerala.

Earlier on June 28, this year, water was released from Vaigai for irrigation of double crop and 9,430 cusecs of water released from the Cumbum valley on September 16, he said.

Madurai Collector K Veera Raghava Rao, Theni Collector M Pallavi Baldev, Dindigul Collector TG Vinay, Sivaganga Collector G Latha, Members of Parliament and officials from Public Works Department were present on the occasion.

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday had ordered release of water from Thirumoorthy Dam in Tirupur district.  In a statement, he said that water would be released from August 28 under the Parambikulam-Aliyar scheme and it will benefit farmers in Tirupur and Coimbatore districts. Close to 95,000 acres of farm lands in the two districts will benefit. The water will be supplied till May 31, 2019 and the total supply will not be higher than 9,500 million cubic feet.