Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday announced that the sluices of the Mettur dam would be opened on the customary date of June 12 for the benefit of farmers in the Cauvery delta region.
As on Thursday, water in the dam stood at 97.13 feet and the water available was 61.43 TMC. In view of the possibility of the Southwest monsoon, the decision was taken to release water, an official release said.
Water from the Mettur dam is expected to benefit over 5.21 lakh acres of farmlands in Tiruchi, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Pudukkottai and Cuddalore districts.
The State government also said that steps have been taken to complete 647 work projects at a total cost of ₹65.11 crore to ensure that water from Mettur reached all tail-ends in the region.
The Chief Minister has instructed officials to ensure supply of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and other inputs needed for the farmers.
