Even as water is being discharged from the overflowing Papanasam dam for the past couple of weeks following an active north-east monsoon, water from Manimuthar dam, the largest reservoir of the district, was released on Friday for the ‘pisanam’ paddy cultivation.
In the presence of Collector Shilpa Prabhakar Satish, Minister for Adi Dravida Welfare V.M. Rajalakshmi released water from the dam following brief ‘puja’. The water being released from Manimuthar dam will benefit ‘pisanam’ paddy cultivation taken-up on 11,134 acres under the first and the second reaches of the reservoir for 110 days (till March 31).
It will feed 171 irrigation tanks in Ambasamudram, Cheranmahadevi, Nanguneri and Palayamkottai taluks in Tirunelveli district and Srivaikundam taluk in neighbouring Thoothukudi district and subsequently the lands under these tanks.
Sub-Collector, Cheranmahadevi, Pratik Tayal, MLAs R. Murugaiah Pandian of Cheranmahadevi and V. Narayanan of Nanguneri and senior officials of Public Works Department were present.
