JOIN USAfter assessing the dams in Karnataka, an expert team constituted by the Union government arrived in Tamil Nadu on Sunday and studied the situation in the Mettur and the Bhavanisagar reservoirs in the delta region.
The team led by Central Water Commission (CWC) chairman G S Jha comprises CWC member S Masood Hussain, Krishna and Godavari Basin Organisation chief engineer R K Gupta and representatives of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry governments.
After assessing the present water storage in the Mettur dam in Salem district, the experts visited the Bhavanisagar reservoir in Erode district. The team took note of water level in the two dams, inflow and discharge for submitting its report on the ground realities to the Supreme Court on October 17.
The team met representatives of various farmers’ association in the delta region and heard their grievances with regard to the Samba cultivation. Farmers told the team that the current water level in the Mettur dam is not sufficient for cultivating Samba crop for this season.
On Friday night, Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao held a meeting with senior ministers and chief secretary and discussed the arrangements made for the visit of the team and the information to be presented to it. Public Works minister E Palanisamy explained to the governor in detail the arrangements made.
Meanwhile, the inflow into the Mettur dam has increased due to water release into the Cauvery by Karnataka. Public Works Department sources told DH that the current inflow is about 2,800 cusecs. “It was about 600 cusecs last week,” an official said.
The water level dipped in the Mettur dam as about 12,000 cusecs is being released every day for cultivating Samba crops. The official said the current water level in the dam is about 71 feet.