Chennai: In a move that could bring a major relief to farmers in the southern part of the state, chief minister J. Jayalalithaa on Friday announced that she had directed the public works department to release water from Periyar dam for the benefit of farmers in Theni district and from Pechiparai, Perunchani, Chittar 1 and Chittar 2 dams in Kanyakumari district for resumption of farming activities in these areas, a release said.
Following a request from farmers in Kothaiyaru and Pattanamkal regions of Kanyakumari district regarding release of water for their summer crops, the chief minister announced that the Pechiparai, Perunchai, Chittar 1 and Chittar 2 dams would be releasing water to irrigate approximately 79,000 acres of land from June 1. The chief minister also ordered the release of waters from Periyar Dam from June 1 for the benefit of farmers in Cumbum Valley, Bodinaickenur and Uttamapalayam where there are two crop seasons. “This release of water will benefit the first crop season that begins in June when approximately 14,707 acres of agricultural land could benefit,” the chief minister said in a release.
Farmers in the Periyar Vaigai reason are a happy lot with the verdict in the long-pending case related to raising the storage level of the Mullaperiyar dam arriving in their favour. They pointed out that an early release of the Periyar water would help in producing a good harvest.
