Signing you in

The CM arrived in Salem by a special flight from Chennai and travelled to Mettur by road. En route, he held a roadshow, waving to people who lined the streets. TVK cadres gave him a rousing reception, erecting party flagpoles and putting up welcome banners and festoons at prominent intersections. In several places, people showered flowers on him.

The water released from the dam will benefit farmers across around 12 districts, including those in Thanjavur, known as the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu.

Vijay also inspected a photo exhibition on the iconic Mettur Dam and the journey of the Cauvery River on the reservoir premises.

According to the state government, the water release has been made keeping in mind the drinking water and irrigation needs of the region. It said insufficient rainfall in the Cauvery basin during the southwest monsoon had delayed the release.

The government said water would be released from the Mettur Dam for 45 days from September 1, subject to storage levels and inflows. Farmers have been advised to use the available water economically and systematically and follow official guidance on cultivation.

Officials have also been directed to ensure that water reaches tail-end areas and that every available drop is used effectively to maximise irrigation benefits, in line with the principle of “more crop per drop”.

As of September 1, the water level in the Mettur Dam stood at 91.56 feet, against its full reservoir level of 120 feet.

June 12 is the customary date for opening the dam’s sluice gates for irrigation. However, the release was deferred this year due to poor monsoon conditions and low storage levels.