Torrential showers that rocked the Western Ghats increased the inflow into Periyar dam sharply with water level ring by six feet in four days.
Now, Public Works Department officials stepped up discharge not only to irrigate the first crop in the double-cropping areas of Cumbum valley but also to improve the storage level in Vaigai dam for irrigation of 2.05 lakh acres of land in Madurai and other southern districts.
The level in Periyar dam rose to 126.70 feet on Sunday. The discharge shot up to 1,300 cusecs from 400 cusecs. The inflow into the dam increased to whopping 4,469 cusecs, and the storage was 3,985 mcft.
Farmers in Cumbum valley were jubilant over the sharp increase in the storage level.
