With heavy downpour in the catchment areas, water level rose by two feet in Periyar dam in the last 48 hours, bringing cheers to the farmers in Cumbum Valley.
On Thursday, water level stood at 113.8 feet in Periyar dam, which was 111.9 feet on Tuesday. Inflow into the dam shot up to 2,554 cusecs from 250 cusecs. Public Works Department stepped up discharge to 250 cusecs from 100 cusecs in order to improve storage level in Vaigai dam and to meet drinking water needs of the panchayats and town panchayats in the district.
With no rain in the catchment area, water level stood at 27.82 feet in Vaigai dam. The inflow was 153 cusecs the discharge was restricted to 60 cusecs.
The farmers in Cumbum Valley were jubilant as the sharp increase in Periyar dam level would make PWD officials release water for irrigation. Further delay in releasing water for irrigation would postpone harvesting period and standing crops would be affected by rain, the farmers said. Normally, water would be released from the dam for irrigation on June 1.
Several farmers in head areas of Cumbum Valley, especially in Gudalur, Cumbum and Uthamapalayam, who had groundwater sources, had raised nurseries and prepared the land for transplantation. But the farmers in tail-end areas had not started any work, they said.
Meanwhile, the PWD officials have been rehabilitating supply channels in Uthamapalayam, Chinnamanur and Margaiyankottai areas. Concrete apron has been laid on the channel bed to prevent seepage and for optimum utilisation of water.
While the farmers in Cumbum Valley welcomed the rain, cardamom growers did not welcome it as it would affect cardamom plants. Cardamom needed rain in the first and the second weeks of June. But delayed monsoon destroyed flowering of plants. Moreover, heavy downpour led to attack by rot disease. Destruction of flowers would ultimately affect yield, said cardamom growers.
