Water was released from the Grand Anicut on Sunday for paddy cultivation in the Cauvery delta districts including Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam. This water release comes after the much talked about Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee were formed.
State Ministers R. Doraikannu, R. Kamaraj, O.S. Manian, Vellamandi N. Natarajan and S. Valarmathi, Minister for Education and Agriculture, Puducherry, Kamalakannan, Rajya Sabha MP R. Vaithilingam and Collectors from the delta districts opened the shutters in the presence of senior officials, AIADMK cadres and farmers. Water gushed out from the sluices of the Cauvery, Vennar and Grand Anicut Canal systems when the shutters were formally opened by the Ministers. They offered flowers and showered paddy seeds on the river Cauvery for a bountiful harvest this season.
According to Public Works Department officials, about 7,000 cusecs was released in Cauvery and an equal quantum in Vennar. While 1,000 cusecs was released in Grand Anicut Canal and 2,000 cusecs in Coleroon. The water release is likely to be stepped up further in a day or two in the wake of heavy inflow into the Mettur dam, which has almost reached its maximum capacity.
The water is expected to reach the tail-end areas in about four to five days. After carrying out water to the tail-end areas, water will be released to Karaikal. The Karaikal region of Union Territory of Puducherry will get its due share, the PWD officials said.
They added that the water release in Grand Anicut Canal will be increased gradually in order to fill up the lakes and ponds.
The water will be beneficial to the farmers of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai and Cuddalore districts besides Karaikal district.
About 4.5 lakh hectares will be irrigated under kuruvai, samba and thaladi paddy crop. About 92,000 hectares will be covered in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts under kuruvai. It has been planned to bring 1.05 lakh and 1.2 lakh hectares under paddy cultivation during samba season in Thanjavur and Tiruvarur district. The samba target in Nagapattinam district is 1.31 lakh hectares.
