As the surplus flows into the Mettur reservoir was being discharged into the Cauvery river, water was released for irrigation into New Kattalai High Level Canal (NKHLC) at Mayanur in Karur district and Pullampadi Canal at Mukkombu in Tiruchi district on Saturday. Both canals are fed by the Cauvery.
The NKHLC runs a distance of about 134 km from Mayanur Kattalai barrage to Pidari Eri near Thirumalaisamudiram in Thanjavur district, feeding 28 branch canals and 22 supply channels en route.
The canal irrigates 20,622 acres in Tiruchi and Thanjavur districts. It does not have any ayacut area on its 60-km course in Karur district.
Collector T. Prabhushankar and K. Sivagamasundari and R. Manickam, MLAs, opened the shutters and offered flowers along with PWD officials and farmers as the water flowed into NKHLC.
In Tiruchi district, water was released into Pullampadi canal from Vathalai near the Upper Anicut (Mukkombu) in the presence of K. N. Nehru, Minister for Municipal Administration, Collector M. Pradeep Kumar and other officials.
The canal, which runs a distance of about 90.20 km from Vathalai to Sukkiran Eri in Ariyalur district, would irrigate 22,114 acres in Tiruchi and Ariyalur districts. Of this, 8,831 acres would be directly irrigated by the canal and 13,283 acres would get supply from tanks fed by it. The tank would feed three irrigation tanks in Tiruchi and 25 in Ariyalur district.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Nehru observed that water was being released into the canal much earlier than usual this year and urged farmers to begin cultivation taking advantage of the availability of water.
Flood warning
Mr. Nehru also pointed out that surplus water from Mettur was being discharge into the Cauvery and about 80,000 cusecs of water is likely to be diverted into the Kollidam river at Upper Anicut and urged people living along the banks of the Kollidam and Cauvery rivers to exercise caution.
Tiruchi and Karur Collectors also issued flood warnings in the wake of heavy discharge of water from Mettur. Mr.Prabhushankar said that the discharge from Mettur could go up to 1 lakh cusecs and cautioned people against bathing or swimming in the river. People were also advised against taking selfies close to the rivers.
Mr. Prabhushankar said that officials had been instructed to shift people living in low-lying areas along the Cauvery to relief shelters. Flood warnings should be communicated to the people through microphones or thandora by Revenue, Police, Water Resources department and local bodies concerned.
