The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : "Not advisable to open Mettur dam on June 12"

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Friday, Jun 08, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

"Not advisable to open Mettur dam on June 12"

Special Correspondent

Durai Murugan says the present storage will last only 20 days

INSPECTION: PWD Minister Durai Murugam (second from left), inspecting desilting works at Mudalaimuthuvari in Thanjavur district on Thursday. S.N.M. Ubayadullah, Commercial Taxes Minister, is in the picture. — Photo: M. Srinath

THANJAVUR: Public Works Department Minister Durai Murugan on Thursday ruled out the possibility of opening the Mettur dam on June 12 for kuruvai cultivation in the Cauvery delta.

Given the present storage both at Mettur and in Karnataka and the pattern of monsoon, it is not good to open the dam on June 12. "It is also not advisable to open the dam on June 12 as we will be wasting water. The present storage will last only 20 days," the Minister told reporters here on Thursday.

The opening would be delayed this year but an assured supply would be there for farmers. "If the situation improves with the monsoon picking up, we may think of opening the dam on June 12 but that will depend upon the monsoon and improvement in storage."

The Minister said on Thursday the water level in the dam stood at 73 ft and the storage 36 tmcft. On the same day last year, the level was 114 ft and storage 94.74 tmcft. Inflow last year on this day was 7337 cusecs and this year, 580 cusecs. In Karnataka there was only 18 tmcft of storage against the total 114 tmcft.

In 2002, the dam was opened on September 6, when storage was only 30 tmcft.

In 2003, it was opened on October 7 with 34 tmcft storage. In 2004, though the storage was 56 tmcft and the storage in Karnataka also was 101 tmcft, the dam was opened on August 12 only. In 2005, with 66.5 tmcft of storage, the dam was opened on August 4.

Desilting work

The Minister inspected desilting work at Mudalaimuthuvari, Karaivaikkal Vadigal, Regunathapuram channel, Devarayanpettai channel, Sullanar drain in Thanjavur district and some channels in Tiruvarur district.

He also saw the completed masonry works at the Vennat Vettar regulator head, Pallieri siphon, Cauvery-Arasalar regulator and Kodimangalam bed dam in the Nattar river.

The minister said the desilting works were taken up at a cost of Rs. 16.30 crore in the delta this year. Of the total 149 works, 58 were in progress while 26 were yet to be started.

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