Thanjavur: After a gap of six years, farmers and people of Cauvery delta districts are going to celebrate Aadi Perukku on August 3 with a brimming Cauvery and its tributaries.
Thanks to heavy rain in catchment areas of Cauvery, Mettur dam filled up to its full level and water was released for cultivation on July 19 by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapadi K. Palaniswami this year.
Water which reached grand anicut was released into Cauvery, Vennar, Grand Anicut canal and Kollidam rivers on July 22.
With all the rivers and canals full of water, people are eagerly awaiting Aadi perukku to celebrate it in a grand manner. "Last year we celebrated Aadi perukku with bore water in the Cauvery at Thiruvaiyaru. This year the river is full. We have to really welcome mother Cauvery," said V. Gopalan, a member of "Pongi vaa Cauvery" an organisation to protect Cauvery River.
Last year, people in Thanjavur celebrated Aadi Perukku with available water, released by government for Aadi perukku celebrations, in the Grand Anicut canal. "This year it may be a different story. GA is running full," said a resident of Thanjavur. South west monsoon is so generous this year, it turned this year in to a surplus year. In the last six years, it was not so. Mettur dam was opened only on October 2 in 2017.
In 2016, it was opened on September 20, in 2015 on August 9, in 2014 on August 10, in 2013 on August 2 and in 2012 on September 17.
That is the dam was opened after Aadi perukku only in all these years. Not to disappoint people, Government released some water from the quantity available at Mettur dam for the celebrations which remained only in upper reaches in these years. Meanwhile, water level at Mettur dam stood at 123.03 ft. at 4 p.m.on Wednesday. Storage was 93.518 tmc.Inflow into the dam was 17,855 cusecs. Discharge from the dam was 17,201 cusecs.
From Grand Anicut, 8,016 cusecs is released into Cauvery, 7,008 cusecs into Vennar, 2,017 cusecs into Grand Anicut canal and 2,003 cusecs into Kollidam.
