Thanjavur: Now it is the problem of surplus water management that stares at the face of farmers and PWD engineers in Cauvery delta districts. With water reaching full level of Mettur dam (water level stood at 120.10 ft at 4 pm on Monday), 32,274 cusecs released from the dam and a whopping 71,097 cusecs reaching the dam, it is going to be major problem to avoid wastage (going to sea) and storing water for cultivation. The storage at the dam on Monday was 93.630 tmcft.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has said that nearly 700 lakes and ponds will be filled up. But “how is it going to be done when most of them are not ready and desilting under Kudmaramathu is going on,” ask farmers.
Sri Mannargudi S. Ranganathan, secretary, Cauvery Delta Farmers Welfare Association, said that this is a time to save water. “Minimum should be used for irrigation and maximum should be saved. System tanks should be filled up. In Vennar division, Vennar and Korayar have lot of system tanks which can be filled. With respect to Baminiyar, desilting and repair works are going on and hence water should be released later. Substantial water can be released into Kollidam from Grand Anicut and Veeranam lake can be filled up. New delta (irrigated by Grand Anicut canal) has maximum system tanks and lakes. They should be filled up, Ranganathan said.
The PWD has increased the discharge from Mettur dam to 32,274 cusecs from 20,000 on Sunday. From Grand Anicut canal 6,001 cusecs is released into Cauvery, 8,016 cusecs into Vennar, 1,011 cusecs into Grand Anicut canal and 2,003 cusecs into Kollidam from Monday.
Cauvery and Vennar can carry 12,000 cusecs maximum each and Grand Anicut canal 2,500 cusecs. Kollidam is a flood carrier and can carry up to three lakh cusecs, said officials.
