PWD Minister opens Sathanur dam for irrigation; supply to go on till May 19

TIRUVANNAMALAI: PWD Minister EV Velu along with officials and elected representatives released water from the Sathanur dam for irrigation on Monday. The Minister later told reporters that the right and left bank canals would provide water for 7,743 acres for 45 days till May 19 at the rate of 140 – 160 cubic feet per second.

Similarly, water would also be released for the old Tirukoilur ayacut of 5,000 acres in three instalments as and when requested by farmers before April 30. The dam currently has water to a depth of 97.50 feet as against its full tank level of 119 feet. Water was released from the reservoir based on the orders of Chief Minister MK Stalin who was requested by district farmers in a bid to save standing crops due to increasing heat and depleting sub soil flow.

Those present included Collector B Murugesh, deputy speaker K Pichandi, Tiruvannamalai MP CN Annadurai and MLAs MP Giri and PST Saravanan.