Speaker Appavu releases water for irrigation from Nambiyar Dam

Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu released water from Nambiyar Dam at Kottaikarunkulam near Valliyoor in the district on Friday for irrigation.

Sixty cusecs of water from Nambiyar Dam would be released for 117 days through the right-side channel to feed 14 tanks and to 26 irrigation tanks through the left-side channel.

Mr. Appavu said the Public Works Department officials were constantly monitoring the supply of water from Nambiyar Dam to the 40 irrigation tanks and hence appealed to the farmers not to divert water by closing or opening the sluices in the irrigation system according to their convenience.

The Speaker also said interest-free loans were being given to the farmers through the primary agriculture cooperative banks even as chemical fertilizers in adequate quantity was stocked for the present crop season. Hence, the farmers should make use of this conducive situation during this season.

Since the 75-km-long flood carrier canal project has been commissioned for utilising the surplus water of the Thamirabarani River by linking Karumaeniyar and Nambiyar Rivers through this channel, the Nambiyar Dam now has water for 22.30 feet against its maximum capacity of 22.96 feet as flood water has been channelised to this reservoir. The surplus water of the Thamirabarani River, which is diverted in the flood carrier channel at Vellankuzhi near Cheranmahadevi, has now reached Aayankulam Padugai even as water has been released to M.L. Theri tank, the last tank of this system.

“Since a few acres of land before the M.L. Theri tank had to be acquired for digging the flood carrier channel, water could not be released to M.L. Theri tank last year. After clearing the legal hurdles and acquiring the lands, the flood carrier channel has been dug up to M. L. Theri tank at the cost of ₹1,060 crore, which has been entirely borne by the Tamil Nadu Government. So, all beneficiary tanks under the flood carrier channel will get sufficient water during this season,” Mr. Appavu said.