Delta farmers call for early opening of Mettur dam
Trichy: As 90% of desilting work of channels of the Cauvery have been finished, farmers in the central region have urged the officials to open the Mettur dam before June 12 so that they can cultivate more acreage of kuruvai crops.
The Mettur dam is currently holds water up to 112ft (capacity of 82.1 tmcft) out of a maximum of 120 feet (93.47 tmcft). The customary date for the opening of the dam is June 12.
S Ramadoss, a leader of Tamil Nadu Kaviri Vivasayigal Sangam, said, "We want the dam to be opened before June 12 so that the farmers can cultivate more acreage of crops as in 2022. If an earlier release is not possible, the dam should be opened on June 12 without any delay."
In 2022, the state govt opened the dam on May 24, aiding farmers to cultivate 2.17 lakh hectares, the highest in 47 years.
"If the dam is opened earlier, the govt should aid farmers to start kuruvai cultivation by arranging farm inputs and loans on time," Lalgudi N Veerasekaran, a leader of Bharatiya Kisan Sangam, said.
In April this year, the water resources department (WRD) started desilting around 5,021km of river distributaries, category A and category B channels in 12 districts at 98 crore.
WRD officials said desilting work has been completed in Trichy, Thanjavur, and Mayiladuthurai districts while 95% of work have been completed in Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts. "The channels are ready to distribute the Cauvery water in case of an early opening of the Mettur dam," said A Nithyananthan, the executive engineer in WRD in Trichy.
The agricultural engineering department is also desilting another 2,925km of secondary channels (C and D categories) across the districts at 13.8 crore. A Kanthasamy, the executive engineer in the department in Trichy, said, "We have completed more than 90% of desilting in Trichy and neighbouring districts. The rest will be completed in a few days. The channels can be readied for early distribution."
The rural development department has been desilting E, F, and G category irrigation cum drainage channels under the MGNREG scheme.
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