Gomukhi dam opening positive sign for north Tamil Nadu

Chennai: With the monsoon gaining momentum in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Monday ordered the release of water from Gomukhi dam in Villupuram district.

The release of water from the dam comes in the wake of water bodies in north Tamil Nadu filling up after intermittent rain since last week. While the release of water will benefit 10,860 acres of farmland, the opening of the dam is seen as a positive sign for the farmers in north Tamil Nadu after a span of three years.
According to water managers, north and coastal Tamil Nadu received deficit rainfall for the past three years affecting farming. Only this year have Tiruvannamalai and Vellore received good rains bringing Palar and the adjoining water bodies alive.

“Palar is flowing after six years and, if the rains continue, Palar water can be diverted to Kancheepuram and Chennai to meet the drinking water demand”, said a PWD department official. He added that the heavy rains in Tindivanam and Cheyyar had also brought Cheyyar river alive helping Cheyyar and Vandavasi farmers.

“Till last week I was planning to cultivate only groundnuts due to poor rainfall but now the lakes have filled and we are planning to raise paddy”, said S. Ravi, a farmer in Papanthangal village in Cheyyar.

Meanwhile, the regional meteorological department here in Chennai said a wet Deepavali was ahead for those residing in Chennai and interior parts of Tamil Nadu. With Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur receiving rain, both Poondi and Red Hills continued to get inflows on Monday and total combined water supply storage of all city reservoirs was around 10 per cent (one TMC) against a total capacity of 11 TMC.