Removal of silt and dredging on the Kallanai Kalvai and supply channels have helped speedy flow of Cauvery water for irrigation in the tail-end areas of the delta in the district.
Dredging of the main channels to remove silt and dredging was taken up on 39 km of main channel between Merpanaikadu to Mumbalai. As many as 26 works were executed at a cost of Rs. 1.09 crore.
There are 150 system tanks located in this main channel route and the supply channels to these tanks to a cumulative length of 48 km were cleared of the silt and other weeds.
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Water entering Merpanaikadu reached Mumbalai within three days, against the usual one week’s time. Sharp to moderate showers in the coastal area in the past few days came in handy for speedy realisation of waters at Mumbalai, according to PWD sources.
Public Works and Water Resource Conservation Division executed the works within couples of month.
Water hyacinth, ‘Neyveli kaatamanakku’ and other thick vegetation were fully cleared as part of dredging the silt, according to C. Manoharan, District Collector, who inspected the realisation of waters and its utilisation in the Cauvery Mettur Project (CMP) area in the district on Tuesday. He said that 28,000 acres would be irrigated through the Kallanai Kalvai channel in the tail-end blocks in the district.
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The Agriculture Department has made arrangements for the supply of inputs to the samba farmers. The Public Works Department would ensure equitable distribution of irrigation to all the villages.
The water could be well utilised for raising ‘samba’. About 335 tonnes of seeds had been stocked in government and private outlets.
The Collector has advised farmers to approach the agricultural extension officers in Aranthangi, Athani, Subramaniapuram, Manamelkudi, and Avudaiyarkovil immediately for their input requirements.
PWD sources said the storage was being stabilised in Mumbalai so that the tail-end area benefited without any discrimination.