Chennai, 20 August (H.S.) : The Mettur reservoir in Tamil Nadu has reached its full capacity, prompting authorities to increase the discharge to 90,000 cusecs. Heavy inflows from Karnataka's reservoirs, including the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) and Kabini dams, have contributed to the surge. The KRS dam is releasing 1,00,000 cusecs, while the Kabini dam is releasing 25,000 cusecs, resulting in a significant inflow into the Mettur Dam.
The Water Resources Department (WRD) has issued a flood alert for 11 downstream districts, including Salem, Erode, Namakkal, Karur, Ariyalur, Tiruchy, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, and Cuddalore. Residents in low-lying areas have been advised to move to safer places as a precautionary measure. The district administrations have been directed to be on high alert and ensure that relief and evacuation measures are ready in case of flooding.
The Mettur Dam, which is one of the oldest and largest dams in Tamil Nadu, has reached its full reservoir level of 120 feet. The dam is a crucial source of irrigation for over 12 lakh acres of land in the Cauvery delta region. With the monsoon expected to remain active over the Cauvery basin, authorities will continue to monitor the situation and adjust the water release accordingly.
The increased discharge from the dam may lead to a rise in water levels in the Cauvery River and its tributaries. Farmers in the delta districts, who depend on Mettur water for irrigating paddy and other crops, have welcomed the development, citing it as a huge relief for their agricultural activiti
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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary
