Mettur dam water reaches Mukkombu, to feed crops in Delta dists from today

Thiruchirapalli

Officials from the PWD (RC Division) said that initially around 3000 cusecs of water from Mettur Dam, which was opened by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on the customary date of June 12, reached the Upper Anicut around 11 am. Thereafter it steadily increased and the flow rose to 7,000 cusecs around 1 pm. It is expected to increase further and touch 8000 cusecs by night.

Officials said that water has been released to reach Kallanai by late in the night. All arrangements have been made to open the dam for Delta irrigation on Tuesday around 11 am.

When the discharge from Mettur dam trickled into Mukkombu point, farmers from all Cauvery Delta districts gathered at the spot and offered prayers to Mother Cauvery. They also performed a series of poojas and abishekams.

Subsequently, farmers, led by the TMC State president (Farmers Wing) Puliyur A Nagarajan and the Nallur Union Chairman Durairasu, showered petals into the Cauvery and watched the Cauvery flowing to Kallanai with joy and raised slogans in praise of the Cauvery.

Meanwhile, a group of farmers offered prayers at Mukkombu regulator and showered paddy seeds and flowers to welcome the fresh flow and for flourishing of agriculture in the region. “We are happy to receive the Mother Cauvery and jubilant about the 100+ feet storage in the Mettur dam, which is a positive sign for taking up kuruvai cultivation in full swing. But the release should be stepped up to at least 25,000 cusecs only then, the tail end farmers will get their share,” Nagarajan further said.

At the same time, it was a joy for residents of the villages on the banks to see water flowing down the Cauvery after many months and even the residents gathered on the Cauvery bridge in Tiruchy and enjoyed the flow.