COIMBATORE: Water from Mettur dam is set to be released for irrigation in the Cauvery Delta on September 1, following a steady rise in the reservoir level, which has approached the crucial 90-foot mark.

Due to delay in water release from Karnataka, the shutters are being opened after a 70-day delay.

Water Resources Minister D Anand said that, considering the water level and storage in the dam, water would be released from September 1 for 45 days. He said the decision was taken considering the sustained increase in the water level in the dam and the ensuing North-East monsoon.

"At the beginning of the irrigation year, the water storage level was only 4.223 TMC. Tamil Nadu did not receive sufficient water from the dams in Karnataka, and the State also had to maintain a minimum storage level of 10 TMC in Mettur dam. Owing to these reasons, the dam could not be opened for delta irrigation," Minister Anand said.

Referring to the government’s legal efforts, he said the State obtained orders to ensure the required water level at Biligundulu. "Due to Tamil Nadu's continuous efforts, the State's rights over Cauvery water have been ensured. The government is making efforts to secure the proportionate share of water through the Cauvery Water Management Board, Cauvery Water Regulation Commission, and the Supreme Court," he said.

The minister asked the Agriculture Department to be prepared with all necessary agricultural inputs, including seeds and fertilisers.