An alert has been sounded along delta districts including Tiruchi and Thanjavur due to heavy discharge of surplus water in the Cauvery from Mettur dam.
According to sources, the entire flow into the Mettur dam, Bhavani Sagar dam in Erode district and Amaravathi dam in Tirupur district has been discharged. While about 1.5 lakh cusecs was released into the Cauvery from the Mettur dam on Wednesday evening, about 45,000 cusecs was discharged from the Bhavanisagar Dam. Besides, about 12,000 cusecs was released into the Amaravathi from the Amaravathi dam. The Amaravathi and the Bhavani join the Cauvery at Thirumukudal in Karur district and Bhavani in Erode district respectively.
Public Works Department officials, who have been put on high alert, anticipate that the flow in the Cauvery downstream of Mayanur will be between 2 to 2.5 lakh cusecs around noon on Thursday. There is a possibility of discharge from the Mettur dam going up to 1.75 lakh cusecs.
“Based on the field reports and advisory of Central Water Commission, we have sounded an alert along the river course of the Cauvery, its tributaries and supply canals and the Coleroon. The flow into the Cauvery may go beyond 2 lakh cusecs on Thursday,” R. Senthilkumar, Chief Engineer, Water Resources Department, Tiruchi region, told The Hindu .
At Mukkombu (Upper Anaicut), 78,000 cusecs was realised at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. It went up to 95,000 cusecs within an hour. While 30,000 cusecs was let into the Cauvery from Mukkombu at 5 p.m., 46,000 cusecs was discharged into the Coleroon. While stating that the flow was quite heavy, Mr. Senthilkumar said that there was no cause for alarm as the Cauvery was capable of carrying about 4.5 lakh cusecs.
