Water from Vaigai dam was released for irrigation of 1,36,109 acres of traditional ayacut lands in Madurai, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram districts, here on Saturday.
District Collector M. Pallavi Baldev opened the shutters and said that following a representation of farmers, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami had ordered the water release.
She said that 1,441 mcft water would be released from November 9 to November 16, for the traditional ayacuts under reach III and 386 mcft water will be released from November 17 to 21 for ayacuts under reach II.
For the four tanks and traditional ayacuts under reach I, 240 mcft water will be released from November 26 to December 2, from the Vaigai dam and 48 mcft water from November 22 to November 25 from the Viraganur check dam. The Collector said that over 1.36 lakh acres in the three districts will receive direct and indirect irrigation through the water release and appealed to farmers to judiciously use the water.
Executive Engineer, PWD (WRO), Venkatakrishnan, Assistant Executive Engineers, Selvam, Kubendran, Anandan, Karthikeyan and Ramesh, participated in the event.
Maruthanadi dam
Water for irrigation of 6,583 acres in Athoor and Nilakottai taluks of Dindigul district, was released from Maruthanadhi dam near here on Saturday.
For the irrigation of 2,359 acres in old ayacut, 73 acres in irrigation interval and 4,151 acres in new ayacut, 20 cusecs of water will be released for 90 days, while 70 cusecs of water will be released for the first 30 days for the land receiving indirect irrigation.
The water will irrigate a total of 5,943 acres in Ayyampalayam, Sitharevu, Thevarappanpatti villages in Athoor taluk and a total of 640 acres in Sevugampatti and Kombaipatti villages under Nilakottai taluk.
The current water level in the dam is 70 feet against the total height of 74 feet.
The current water storage in the dam is 162.5 mcft and the inflow and outflow are 15 cusecs.
Attack by honey bees
During the event, some officials, reporters and farmers were reportedly stung by a swarm of honey bees.
One of the farmers said that a huge beehive was present in one of the shutters in the dam from which the army of bees came attacking.
Medical help and first aid were provided at a nearby hospital.
