Tamil Nadu Municipal Administration, Urban and Water Supply Minister K N Nehru has taken a significant step towards addressing the irrigation needs of farmers in the Cauvery delta region. On Friday, Minister Nehru released water from the Grand Anaicut into the Vennar and Kollidam rivers to support agricultural activities in the area.
The release of water from the dam will prove beneficial for over 3.42 lakh farmlands in the Cauvery Delta region during the upcoming kuruvai (short-term) paddy season. The districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, and Cuddalore will particularly benefit from this irrigation initiative.
During the morning press conference, Minister Nehru informed reporters that a total of 500 cusecs of water was discharged into the Cauvery, Vennar, and Kollidam rivers. Additionally, 100 cusecs of water was directed into the Grand Anaicut Canal. It is expected that the outflow will gradually increase over the next few days.
To ensure fair distribution of water, the turn system will be implemented as the water reaches the tail-end areas, taking into account the water levels. The minister also emphasized the availability of sufficient fertilizers, pesticides, and other agricultural equipment in the agriculture depots across the Cauvery Delta districts. He appealed to farmers in the region to make judicious use of the released water, keeping in mind the importance of water conservation.
The event witnessed the participation of Members of Parliament from Thanjavur and Mayiladuthurai, along with Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and district collectors from Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Pudukottai, and Mayiladuthurai.
This release of water follows the recent action taken by Chief Minister M K Stalin, who had previously released water from the Stanley reservoir in Mettur. This water release, located upstream of the Cauvery River in Salem district, was also intended to cater to the irrigation needs of the delta districts.
