Water for irrigating single crop areas to the extent of 1.05 lakh acres in Madurai, Sivaganga and Dindigul districts was released from the Vaigai dam on Monday.
Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam switched on the button to lift the shutters of the dam to mark the water release, in the presence of Ministers and Collectors of those districts.
A total of 2,030 cusecs of water would be released through the Periyar Main Canal (PMC) and the Tirumangalam Main Canal (TMC) to irrigate 85,563 acres under the PMC and 19,439 acres under the TMC. Besides, the water would also be used to resume irrigation under the turn system for 45,000 acres of the double crop area in Madurai and Dindigul districts.
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Mr. Panneerselvam told reporters that 98,764 acres in Madurai district — 6,898 acres in Vadipatti Taluk, 24,811 acres in Madurai North, 48,963 acres in Melur, 13,723 acres in Usilampatti and 4,369 acres in Tirumangalam — would benefit from the water release.
Similarly, 6,039 acres of ayacut in Sivaganga district — 478 acres in Tiruppattur Taluk and 5,561 acres in Sivaganga Taluk — would benefit. The release would also benefit 199 acres in Nilakottai Taluk of Dindigul district.
He said water was being released to the single crop area ahead of the scheduled date — September 15 — due to good inflow in both Periyar and Vaigai dams thanks to the southwest monsoon. Mr. Panneerselvam appealed to the farmers to use water judiciously.
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While 2,030 cusecs would be drawn through the canals for irrigation, the rest of the surplus water would be released through the Vaigai river course to maintain the water level at the Vaigai dam at 69 feet as against its full reservoir level of 71 feet.
The Deputy Chief Minster said that efforts were being taken to release water to the 58-village canal system, the 18-village canal scheme and the Thanthai Periyar-P.T. Rajan canal soon.
Ministers Dindigul C. Srinivasan, Sellur K. Raju, R.B. Udhayakumar and G. Bhaskaran were present, along with District Collectors M. Pallavi Baldev (Theni), K. Veera Raghav Rao (Madurai), T.G. Vinay (Dindigul) and Latha (Sivaganga).