With sharp increase in inflow, water level rose by one foot to 116 feet in Periyar dam in the last 24 hours, restoring hopes of dejected farmers in Cumbum valley. Many parts of the district received minor showers on Tuesday evening.
The Public Works Department engineers have stepped up the discharge from the dam to 600 cusecs from 400 cusecs to improve storage in Vaigai dam and to meet irrigation needs in Cumbum valley.
The inflow into the dam rose sharply owing to heavy downpour in catchment areas and at the dam site. The inflow into the dam increased to 2,462 cusecs from 1,954 cusecs on Monday. The storage was 1,871 mcft.
At present, Vaigai dam has 25.3 feet of water.
The inflow was nil and the discharge was maintained at 40 cusecs to continue drinking water supply to Madurai. Increase in storage level cheered farmers in Cumbum valley.
Preparation of land and raising of nurseries were in full swing in head areas and also in Uthamapalayam and Chinnamanur as water flow in irrigation channels was good.
Agri operationsTransplantation work was in full swing at Ellapatti, Margaiyankottai and Koozhayanur and nearby areas in the valley. Nurseries were raised in Uthamapuram channel area. Many farmers, especially in tail-end areas of the valley did not take up farm activities as water did not reach there. Inordinate delay in commencement of southwest monsoon too had prevented them from taking any risk because they had burnt their fingers last year as the PWD officials abruptly stopped the discharge from the dam and advised them to abandon farm activities in order to manage drinking water supply.
Standing crops in 80 per cent of total cultivable area of the valley were completely withered away.
The power generation at Lower Camp power unit was steady owing to good flow in pipelines. At present, three out of four power turbines have been generating power. One turbine was under renovation.
