CUMBUM
Water was released into 14-km-long PTR Main Channel at Uthamapalayam from Periyar dam here on Monday to irrigate dry and wet cropping areas in Theni and Uthamapalayam blocks.
Releasing water, Collector N. Venkatachalam said 5,146 acres – 830 acres in Uthamapalayam block and 4,316 acres in Theni block – would benefit by this move. Water would reach the irrigation areas through 12-km- long Thanthai Periyar chanel and 10-km-long Balakrishanpuram channel and also through 19 small irrigation tanks.
A total of 468 acres under wet crop and 4,678 acres under dry crop would benefit by the water release. One hundred cusecs of water would be released for the next 120 days to raise the crops.
Farmers at Chinnamanur, Seelayampati, Veppampatti, Seepalakottai, Poomalaigundu, Dharmapuri, Thadicherry, Venkatachalapuram, Koduvilarpatti, Jangalpatti, Govindapuram and Balakrishnapuram were the areas to be benefited, he added.
The Collector appealed to farmers to utilise water judiciously and raise short-term crop for a better yield. Turn system would be introduced if the level in the dam went down due to reduction in rainfall in the coming days or any other natural calamities.
Cumbum MLA S.T.K. Jakkaiyan and Public Works Department officials were present on the occasion.
