Tamil Nadu: Agriculture prospects up as overall dam storage level crosses 50 percent
Chennai: With TN dams filling up fast all the dams in western and southern districts are likely to be opened after Deepavali (October third week). Major dams, including Mettur, Bhavani Sagar and Saathanur sluice gates have already been opened for irrigation. In the last past two weeks, Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniwsami has ordered the release of water from four major dams including Mettur and Bhavanisagar. And on Sunday, the Thirumurthi dam will also be opened for irrigation, said an informed senior official. The overall water storage in TN dams has crossed the 50 per cent mark and even if the northeast monsoon is normal there is every possibility for the dams in western and southern districts to overflow this December.
“We are planning to revive the farmers who have been hit badly due to the 140-year-old severe drought and now with rain gods looking positive all steps are taken to intensify the irrigation in the delta and other districts supporting horticulture and vegetable cultivation,” a senior agriculture department official said. However, capital Chennai is still choking and poor storage levels as there is no inflow of water from Kandeleru. Kandaleru in Andhra is also facing water shortage due to poor rain and the reservoir now has around 4 tmc ft of water, only if the water reaches 13 TMC, the water will be released for TN and neighbouring Andhra owes 12 tmc ft of water under the Krishna river water agreement, the official said.
Meanwhile, officials with the water resource department and Tamil Nadu Water supply board are unhappy with the groundwater and reservoir storage level in northern districts. Despite two months of surplus rains, the water level has not increased in six northern districts of Tamil Nadu. Except for Thanjavur and Coimbatore, the water level in other districts is yet to improve. Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chennai witnessed depleting groundwater table of up to 20 feet and the recovery is not encouraging till now, a metro water official monitoring the borewells told DC.
