SALEM: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday opened water from Mettur dam to Delta region for irrigation purpose.
Initially, 3,000 cusecs of water was released from the dam and by Friday night it will be increased to 10,000 cusecs. Based on the demand, the quantum of water released from the dam will be increased in the coming days.
This is the 87th time water was discharged from the Mettur dam for Delta irrigation on Friday. Through this, 16.05 lakhs acre of farm land in 12 district of Delta region including Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Tiruchy, Karur, Perambalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Pudhukottai and Nagapattinam, will get irrigation facility.
This is also the 17th time water is being discharged from the Mettur dam for Delta irrigation on the customary date of June 12, as sufficient amount of water in available in the Mettur dam.
Usually from June 12, for 230 days, water will be discharged continuously from the Mettur dam till January 28, 2021.
The requirement of water from Mettur dam for Delta irrigation is 330 TMC. If Delta district receive monsoon rain, the water requirement from the Mettur dam will come down.
The release of water for Delta irrigation from Mettur dam will also facilitate generation of 460 megawatt of hydro electric power.
Later speaking to media persons, the Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami listed the schemes to be implemented in Salem and Namakkal districts for storing water.
For next 90 days water will be released from Mettur dam for Kuruvai irrigation, CM added.
Denying any plans of extending lockdown or intensifying restrictions, Chief Minister warned of action against people spreading rumors about that lock down.
About fee collection by private schools, Chief Minister said, “If parents come forward to lodge complaint against the schools collecting fees, severe action will be taken.”
In the function, Ministers P Thangamani, KA Sengottaiyan, Dr V Saroja, KC Karuppannan and MLAs, MPs and officials participated.
In the history of Mettur dam, only 16 times (years) water was discharged from the dam for Delta irrigation on the customary date of June 12. Earlier in 2008 (exactly 12 years ago), water from Mettur dam was discharged for Delta irrigation on the customary date of June 12.
Likewise for 10 times (years), water discharged for Delta irrigation from Mettur dam before June 12, due to presence of high amount of water. Similarly for 60 times (years), discharge of water from Mettur dam for Delta irrigation commenced late, after the customary date, due to lesser quantity of water in the dam.
Last year (2019), after Mettur dam level attained 100 ft, the Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami opened water for Delta irrigation on August 13.
From August 13, 2019 to till date (June 12, 2020), the dam is having 100 ft water for the past 305 days. In the year 2005-06, for 427 days, the water level in the Mettur dam did not go below 100 ft.