900 cusecs from Vaigai dam to feed crops in 45,000 acres

Panneerselvam along with Ministers Sellur Raju, RB Udayakumar, Dindigul Srinivasan, Madurai Collector K Veera Raghav Rao and Theni Collector V Venkatachalam paid floral tributes to the water. 

The released water would benefit over 45,000 acres of farm lands in Madurai and Dindigul districts. It would also be beneficial to farmers in Cholavandan, Vadipatti and Melur. The first out of the two cultivation practised in this area would make use of the released water. 

Similarly, for Pisanam cultivation in Tirunelveli district, water from five minor dams in Tirunelveli districts such as Kodumudi, Ramanadhi, Kadananadhi, Adavinainar and Karuppanadhi dams were opened. It would help irrigate 27,000 acres of land where paddy and banana are cultivated in maximum acreage.

The Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami kept his promise of releasing water from the Vaigai on November 1. Thanks to nature’s bounty and release of water from the Mullaiperiyar Dam, which reached the Vaigai river, water level in the dam had crossed 50 feet mark enabling release of sufficient quantity to the farmers. 

Vaigai is the lifeline for people of Madurai, Dindigul, Theni and Sivaganga disricts. Water for drinking purpose is already supplied through two sluice shutters and now for cultivation, the remaining five shutters has been opened. It is said that nearly 900 cusecs of water would be released each day for 120 days. Sources say that in total 6,739 million cubic feet of water would be released.