Allaying fears of the farmers that several irrigation tanks, being fed by the Uyyakondam canal and the New Kattalai High-Level Canal (NKHLC) , have poor storage in spite of the discharge of huge quantum of flood water into the Kollidam and the Cauvery Rivers, the Water Resources Department (WRD) officials in Tiruchi said that the system tanks were being filled up gradually and all tanks would reach their capacity within 10 to 15 days.
The Uyyakondan canal, which originates from the Cauvery river near Pettavaithalai in Karur district, traverses for about 70 km via Puthur weir, Anna Nagar, Palakkarai in Tiruch district and Vazhavanthankottai in Thanjavur district. It irrigates over 32,000 acres. It feeds over 36 small and big irrigation tanks in Tiruchi and Thanjavur districts. Similarly, the New Kattalai High-Level Canal, which originates from Mayanur in Karur district, feeds about 48 small and big irrigation tanks in Tiruchi and Thanjavur districts. Gundur, Manikandam and Koothappar are among the tanks,
The WRD began to release water into the Uyyakondan canal and the NKHLC days after the opening of the Stanley Reservoir in Mettur for the irrigation dam on May 24. Since the flow of water in the Cauvery went beyond 1.5 lakh about 10 days ago, the WRD increased the flow into the Uyyakondan canal and the NKHLC.
However, a section of farmers alleges that several tanks, fed by the Uyyakondan and the NKHLC, have still poor storage. Some tanks are remained dry.
“There is a moderate flow into the Koothapar lake. But, neighbouring Samuttikulam and Sappankulam are still dry,” says R. Ramalingam, a farmer of Koothapar near Thiruverumbur.
R. Sridharan, a farmer of Ariyamangalam, said that all tanks being fed by the tributaries of the Cauvery should have been filled up by now considering the discharge of huge quantum of flood water in the Cauvery and the Kollidam. The WRD should review the flow of water along the water courses and the inlet and outlet points.
When contacted, a senior official of the WRD told The Hindu that all tanks in the district were being filled up one after another. The storage level in most of the tanks had gone up beyond 50%. Though the offtake of water by the farmers was still meagre as many of them were yet to start farming operations, the Department was particular in filling up the tanks. All tanks would be filled up within 10 days to 15 days.
