Aliyar dam to be opened for crops for 135 days

Public Works Department (PWD) officials are to take a call on the total cusecs of water to be released based on the inflow and a maximum of 1,059 million cubic feet water would be released from Aliyar reservoir during this period, the statement said, adding that the move would benefit 6,400 acres of farmland. The CM also urged the farmers to judiciously use the water and aim for a better harvest during this season.

Following good rains in Kerala and the Anamalai Tiger reserve in TN, the inflow into Sholayar and Parambikulam dams has also increased. Sholayar is a receiving an inflow of 3099 cusecs while Parambikulam is receiving close to 4000 cusecs of water.

Based on the copious rains in the past two weeks, the state has now opened the sluices of all major dams in the western and southern districts. The state had already opened the sluice gates of Mettur, Bhavani Sagar and Amaravati dams last week, bringing respite to TN farmers. Cauvery water has already reached Mookombu in Tiruchy and is now stationed in Kallanai dam. State ministers on Saturday opened the shutters in Kallanai, releasing water to Kollidam, Cauvery canal and Vennar river, benefitting farmers in delta districts. With the release of water from all the dams, about 25 lakh acres of farmlands, including 16 lakh acres in the delta region, will be benefitted till December.

The water level in Mettur has increased by 60 TMC in the past three weeks and the storage is now around 81 TMC against the total 93 TMC capacity.

The water released from Bhavani will benefit farmers in Gobichettipalayam, Anthiyur, Bhavani, Erode, Modakurichi and Perundurai. The water released from Amaravati will benefit the farmlands in Tirupur district. Dams in Tirunelveli district are also filling up due to copious rain in the catchment area of Thamirabharani and Periyar tiger reserve.