Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay on Tuesday opened the sluice gates of the Stanley Reservoir at Mettur, releasing water for irrigation in the Cauvery delta district. The water release is planned for 45 days from September 1, subject to the reservoir's storage levels and inflow conditions.
The opening of the Mettur dam is traditionally scheduled for June 12 every year to facilitate the cultivation of kuruvai, a short-duration paddy crop, in the Cauvery Delta region. However, the exercise was deferred this year due to inadequate rainfall in the Cauvery basin and low storage levels in the reservoir. According to the state government, the release has been made keeping in mind the drinking water and irrigation needs of the region.
The water released from the dam will benefit farmers across around 12 districts, including Thanjavur, known as the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu. The state government said water would be released 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".
Vijay also inspected a photo exhibition on the iconic Mettur Dam and the journey of the Cauvery River on the reservoir premises. This is Vijay's first visit to Mettur after assuming office as Chief Minister on May 10. As of September 1, the water level in the Mettur Dam stood at 91.56 feet, against its full reservoir level of 120 feet.
Legal backdrop
The opening of the dam comes amid a continuing dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the sharing of Cauvery river water. The Supreme Court on Monday deferred the Cauvery water dispute to September 15 after Tamil Nadu sought directions to Karnataka to clear the backlog in water releases. Karnataka, however, submitted that it was currently releasing more than the stipulated quantity.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta directed the parties to place subsequent developments on record and listed the matter for further hearing on September 15.
Senior advocate CS Vaidyanathan, appearing for Tamil Nadu, alleged that Karnataka had failed to clear the accumulated shortfall despite the issue being recorded by the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA). Vaidyanathan said a substantial area of agricultural land in Tamil Nadu was dependent on Cauvery water and urged the apex court to direct the authorities to reconsider the State's request for clearing the accumulated deficit.
Representing Karnataka, senior advocate Shyam Divan said the State had released 9,888 cusecs on August 30 against the stipulated 9,000 cusecs and was releasing more than 11,000 cusecs on Monday. The bench noted that Karnataka had increased its release from 11,000 to 12,000 cusecs from August 12.