Delta irrigation: Mettur dam not opened for 6th year in a row

However, agricultural technocrats suggested the farmers not to try for Kuruvai anymore. They urged for the release of water, if there is possibility, by August end as it would help cultivation of Samba. It has been a customary practice to release water from Mettur dam on every June 12 ever since the dam was constructed in 1934 and the water flow to be kept till January 28 when the irrigation season ends. 

Delta districts used to undertake Kuruvai, Samba and Thalady cultivation in 13 lakh acres.  According to PWD sources, out of the total 83 years since the practice of release of water came into effect, only 25 times, there were prompt release of water on June 12 and for the past 58 years, the release has been postponed. 

“Only in 2011, water was released from Mettur at six days in advance as the storage was more than 100 feet then and both Kuruvai and Samba were undertaken in full swing. However, for the sixth consecutive year from 2012, the release of water became questionable due to failure of monsoon and refusal of the Karnataka government to release water”, said the official. 

Meanwhile, the farmers claimed that the year 2016 was the worst year for them due to failure of monsoon.  In spite of the situation, some farmers had undertaken Kuruvai with the support of ground water. They were asked to use water carefully by Dr V Palaniappan, senior agro technocrat and secretary Centre for ecology and Research.

June 12 is the customary date for release of water from Mettur Dam for Kuruvai cultivation in the Delta region. Though it has been late, there has not been a single year that it has not been opened for irrigation. But, this year, it is impossible to release water as the level in the dam on Monday was a mere 23. 44 feet or 5 TMC as against the dam’s capacity of 120 feet ( 93.5 TMC). 

Considering the very little water available in the dam, last week PWD officials wrote to the Government saying it would not be possible to release water for Kuruvai cultivation on June 12. A senior PWD official said that the dam had been opened for irrigation on June 12 only on 15 occasions (years). “It was released ahead 11 times, while it was released any time after June 12 to September on 54 occasions,” he said. But not a single year has passed without water being released. Considering the very little water available in the dam, last week PWD officials wrote to the Government saying it would not be possible to release water for Kuruvai cultivation on June 12.