Some of the major irrigation tanks in Thuraiyur sub-division in Tiruchi district have filled up thanks to copious inflow from Kolli Hills and the Pachamalai, bringing cheer to the local farmers.
Although a majority of 112 rain-fed tanks under the Ariyar Division of the Water Resources Department (WRD) in Tiruchi and Karur districts remained almost dry in the absence of adequate local rains, eight irrigation tanks in Thuraiyur sub-division have filled up in recent days. Ninety-eight of the tanks under the division are in Tiruchi district.
The Jamberi, Alathudayanpatti Periya Eri, Alathudayanpatti Chinna Eri, Sirunavalur Eri and Senapanallur tanks are among those that have filled to the brim. Jamberi is one of the biggest irrigation tanks in the district and is situated in a fertile belt in the Uppilliyapuram area where the famous seeraga samba rice is grown. The tank in Vairichettipalayam village has an ayacut area of about 1,020 acres and has a capacity to hold 72.34 million cubic feet (mcft) of water. The tank gets a major portion of its flow from the Kolli Hills.
The Alathudayapatti Periya Eri, with a storage capacity of 47.43 mcft, irrigates over 325 acres. Overflows from the tank runs into the Alathudayanpatti Chinna Eri, which can hold 33.73 mcft of water. The Sirunavalur tank, with a storage capacity of 49.72 mcft, and the Perur tank (14.52 mcft) in Musiri section have also filled up a WRD officer said.
Some of the other tanks in the sub-division including the Venkatachalapuram and Neyveli tanks too are getting good inflow over the past few days and are filling up fast, sources in the WRD told The Hindu.
With the heavy rain flow from Pachamalai causing breaches on a jungle stream and inundating Maruvathur, Sellipalayam and Ammampalayam, local residents have called for proper maintenance of the Varayaru Odai, an inlet channel. “The channel has silted up and water flow is obstructed by heavy wild growth. Bushes around the Varayaru Odai check dam should also be cleared,” said N. Saravanan, a resident of Thuraiyur. The Maruvathur tank with a capacity of 10.58 mcft had overflowed on Monday night.
However, these apart, a majority of rain-fed tanks under the division in other parts of Tiruchi district are yet to get good inflow although the district has received some scattered rainfall under the southwest monsoon. Most tanks in drought-prone areas such as Manapparai and Marungapuri are still dry, said another official.
