HC wants to know PWD’s stand on water release from Bhavanisagar dam

The Madras High Court on Monday wanted to know the stand of Public Works Department (PWD) on the plea for releasing 7 tmc of water from Bhavanisagar dam to lands served by odd turn sluices in the Lower Bhavani Project Channel. The HC raised the question after Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) submitted in court that it was ready to release 50 mcft of water into the dam every day from Kundah hydel reservoir after generating power.

Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose directed Government Pleader T.N. Rajagopalan to obtain instructions from PWD by Monday in the light of the submissions made by Tangedco in court.

The direction was issued on a writ petition filed by Lower Bhavani Farmers Federation represented by its president P. Kasiannan who claimed that members of his federation were suffering without water for irrigation for last two years.

In his counter affidavit, K. Subash Chandra Bose, Chief Engineer (Hydro), Tangedco, said that water from Kundah and Pykara system power houses had to be let into the Bhavanisagar dam only, after power generation, since there was no other option. As on April 4, the net storage available in the reservoirs in Kundah generation circle was 9.1 tmc and as per a 1979 Government Order, the net storage in hydel reservoirs should not be more han 4,600 mcft.

The balance storage along with the inflows should be utilised for second turn of ayacut of Lower Bhavani Project in the month of January to April.

Water may be drawn for irrigation from the minimum storage also with the prior approval of the government. Further, it was also brought to the notice of the court that 2 tmc of water should be stored in the reservoirs to meet the water supply demand of Coimbatore Corporation and Udhagamandalam Municipality.

“On the basis of the above guidelines and the present storage condition of 9.1 tmc in the Kundah Hydel Reservoirs, it is considered (sic) that release of 50 mcft of water from the combined storage of the Kundah Reservoirs will be let out to the Bhavanisagar dam on daily basis after power generation. The practice of letting out water... is already in vouge and will be followed by Tangedco this year also,” the counter affidavit read.