Farmers in Lower Bhavani Project canal ayacut area are anticipating release of water from the Bhavani Sagar Reservoir from October 15, as promised by the district administration and Public Works Department a month ago.
Failure of South-West monsoon made impossible the release of water from the reservoir as per schedule on August 15.
The situation is tough even now since water level now stands at just 5.2 tmc though there has been inflow of 761 cusecs in the last two days, as against just 100 cusecs till then.
Water to the extent of 200 cusecs is being let from the reservoir into the river and five cusecs into LBP canal for drinking purposes.
Full-fledged release of water into LBP canal for at least 15 days for recharging wells and groundwater till the tail-end area will hinge on the government’s nod for release of three tmc water from the hydel reservoirs in The Nilgiris into the Bhavani Sagar Reservoir, according to representatives of farmers’ associations in the LBP ayacut area.
At the same time last year, the storage was 8.1 cusecs after two continuous months of water release into LBP and the old ayacut areas in the Thadapalli-Arakankottai and Kalingarayan irrigation systems.
The district administration, sources said, was hopeful about securing government consent over the next few days for release of 3 tmc water from the hydel reservoirs to replenish storage in the Bhavani Sagar Reservoir.
Officials of Public Works Department said the accrual from North-East monsoon rainfall had to be timely for tiding over an impending crisis.
