SP inspects Mettur as Minister Anand hints at release

CHENNAI: Salem district Superintendent of Police S Kuthalingam conducted an inspection at the Mettur Dam on Monday, as Water Resources Minister N Anand announced in the House that water will be released soon for Delta irrigation.

During Zero Hour in the Assembly on Tuesday, DMK MLA Govi Chezhiaan asked the government when the Mettur dam would be opened for irrigation in the Delta region. "The farmers are expecting the government to announce the opening date of the Mettur," he said.

Following him, AIADMK floor leader Edappadi K Palaniswami also asked about the opening date of the Mettur dam.

Salem district Superintendent of Police Kuthala Lingam conducted a surprise inspection at the Mettur Dam on Monday.

Meanwhile, the water level in Mettur continued to rise gradually, raising hopes among farmers in the Delta region. The inflow, which stood at 13,538 cusecs on Sunday, fell to 12,231 cusecs on Monday and further declined to 10,807 cusecs by Tuesday morning. Officials said the fluctuation was not a cause for concern, as inflows tend to vary and water continues to be released from reservoirs in Karnataka.

Despite the decline in inflow, the steady flow of water into the reservoir pushed up the dam's water level. The level rose from 85.95 feet on Saturday to 86.83 feet on Sunday and 87.67 feet on Monday before reaching 88.43 feet on Tuesday.

“With the current trend in inflow, the water level could soon reach 90 feet, which is the benchmark for considering the release of water for irrigation. If the level crosses 90 feet and the inflow remains steady, a decision is likely to be taken on releasing water for irrigation in the delta region,” a Water Resources Department official said.

The Mettur dam missed its customary water release date on June 12 due to insufficient storage.