TIRUNELVELI
Even as the northeast monsoon has started on a hopeful note with catchment areas of major dams experiencing some precipitation, five dams in the district were opened for ‘pisanam’ paddy cultivation on Wednesday.
After a puja, water was released from Kodumudiyar, Karuppanadhi, Adavinainar, Gadana and Ramanadhi dams for cultivating paddy on over 27,000 acres.
In the ceremony conducted at Kodumudiyar dam, Minister for Adi Dravida Welfare V.M. Rajalakshmi released water in the presence of Collector Sandeep Nanduri, MP K.R.P. Prabhakaran and MLA I.S. Inbadurai.
“The 30 cusecs of water being discharged through Valliyooran and Padalaiyar channels each till March 31, 2018, will benefit 5,780 acres,” Ms. Rajalakshmi said.
The water released from the dam will reach 44 tanks at Thirukkurunkudi, Ervadi, North and South Valliyoor, Thalapathisamudhram, Aanaikulam, Achampadu, South Kallikulam, Samooharengapuram, Mahiladi, Nambithalaivanpattaiyam, Rajakkamangalam, Theraikulam, Kumbikulam, Alankinaru, Thirumalapuram, Soundarapandiapuram and Radhapuram.
If the monsoon failed again, water would be discharged on a ‘turn basis’, Public Works Department officials said.
Tenkasi MLA S. Selvamohandas Pandian released water from Adavinainar dam, and Tenkasi MP Vasanthi Murugesan released water from Karuppanadhi dam.
While Vasudevanallur MLA A. Manoharan released water from Ramanadhi dam, Ambasamudram MLA R. Murugaiah Pandian released water from Gadana dam.
While the catchment areas of the dams in the Western Ghats experienced decent rainfall, there was no rainfall in the plains.
Water level in various dams was (in feet): Servalar 87.40, Gadana 61.50, Ramanadhi 58.75, Karuppanadhi 56.76, Gundar 35.87, Vadakku Pachchaiyar 3.25, Nambiyar 16.08, Kodumudiyar 51.75 and Adavinainar 99.50.
Rainfall recorded at various places in the district was (in mm): Nambiyar dam 121, Manimuthar dam 57, Kodumudiyar dam 50, Karuppanadhi dam 35, Nanguneri 24, Sivagiri 16, Servalar dam 12, Papanasam 10, Cheranmahadevi 8.20, Tenkasi 8, Ambasamudram 7, Radhapuram 3, Tirunelveli 2 and Palayamkottai 1.
