Sathanur reservoir built across River Then Pennaiyar has been opened through its left and right banks for irrigation on Friday.
Information Technology Minister Mukkur N.Subramanian has opened the sluice gates of the pick up dam that is located 8 km away from the reservoir down stream.
District Collector A. Gnanasekaran was among those present. Water would be released in the river and distributed in the left and right bank canals from the pick up dam.
These canals would irrigate 45,000 acres of land in Tiruvannamalai and Villupuram districts for 90 days in four phases.
Around 4,450 million cubic feet of water would be distributed. Due to drought, water level in the dam has been abysmal for the last four years and hence water was not available for canal irrigation. Now irrigation has been resumed after four years.
Apart from canal irrigation, old riparian farmers in Tirukkoilur would be released 1,200 million cubic feet of water in two phases between February and April. This water will irrigate 5,000 acres.