With the water level in the Stanley Reservoir in Mettur crossing the 100-foot mark on Friday, 9,000 cusecs was let out in the Cauvery on Sunday for irrigation of samba (long-term paddy), benefiting 15.58 lakh acres in 12 districts.
Though Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had directed that water be released from August 15, it was advanced to Sunday following a rapid rise in the water level in the past few days. It is customary to release water on June 12 every year. But the release was postponed owing to poor storage.
Minister for Finance and Public Works Department O. Panneerselvam, Minister for Highways and Minor Ports Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Minister for Industries P. Thangamani, Minister for Environment Thoppu N.D. Venkatachalam, Minister for Transport V. Senthil Balaji showered rose petals when the sluices of the Stanley Reservoir were opened at 4 p.m. in the presence of Collector K. Maharabushanam, MPs, MLAs and PWD engineers.
Mr. Paneerselvam told reporters that as per the Chief Minister’s orders, water was released and stocks of seeds and fertilizers had been ensured.
At 4 p.m., the water level stood at 109.11 feet and the storage level 77.500 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft), against its full capacity of 93.470 tmc ft. The inflow was 46,000 cusecs. Also, 170 MW of power generation began on Sunday against the installed capacity of 250 MW. Officials told The Hindu that the generation would be increased if the quantum of discharge went up in the coming days.
The district administration has issued a flood alert, asking people living along the banks of the Cauvery and low-lying areas to move to safer areas. Vehicle traffic on the ‘16 Gate Ellis Surplus Bridge’ was stopped from Sunday.
At Biligundlu in Krishnagiri district, where the Cauvery enters Tamil Nadu, the inflow started to recede as 35,000 cusecs was recorded on Sunday evening against 55,000 cusecs in the morning. The inflow continued to drop over the day, sources said.
