Water will be released from Grand Anicut for Kuruvai cultivation in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts at 5 p.m.on June 9 rpt 5 p.m.on June 9.
PWD engineers here said that water will be released from Mettur dam on June 6 between 9 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. Normally water will be released from Mettur dam in the evening. This year water is released in the morning. Because of this water is expected to reach Grand Anicut on June 9. As water can not be stored in Grand Anicut, it has been decided to release water from the Anicut on the same evening.
This is for the first time in the history of Grand Anicut, water is to be released in the evening. Normally water will be released in the morning.
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As the time has changed from evening to Morning for opening of Mettur dam, time of release from Grand Anicut has also changed from morning to evening.
PWD engineers said that the season will be good as there is adequate storage of water at Mettur dam and as the South West Monsoon had set in. Farmers need not worry as they will get required water for Kuruvai, they said.
Meanwhile, water level at Mettur dam stood at 115.65 ft against the full level of 120 ft on Friday. The storage was 86.7 tmc ft. Inflow into the dam was 3750 cusecs.
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It is also for the first time in the history of Mettur dam that water is released on June 6. Usually it will be released on June 12.
Normal Kuruvai area is 40,000 hectares each in Thanjavur and Tiruvarur districts. Agriculture department has distributed adequate Kuruvai seeds to the farmers. Besides the department which distributes 17 per cent of the seed requirement, farmers have purchased seeds from private companies also.
There is also adequate stock of fertilisers required like Urea, Di-Ammonium Phosphate, Potash complex in the two districts. Farmers are eagerly awaiting release of water from Grand Anicut and thanked the Government for opening the Mettur dam on June 6.