Limited water from Mettur to Upper Anicut stokes farmer anxiety in Tiruchirappalli

The state’s effort to channel water from the Mettur dam to the Kaveri delta has hit a snag as the volume reaching Upper Anicut in Mukkomboo, Tiruchirappalli, proved far below the projected levels. On September 1 the government authorised a discharge of 7,000 cusecs to aid delta farmers, but by Friday morning only about 1,500 cusecs were observed at the Upper Anicut site.

The delay was caused by a low water storage situation at Mettur, which postponed the release until the reservoir level reached 92 feet and a total of 8,456 cusecs could be let out. The water first moved into Karur’s Mayanoor Baraj, where the flow started at 2,737 cusecs and later rose to 4,081 cusecs. From Mayanoor, roughly 2,050 cusecs were transferred toward Upper Anicut.

Upon arrival in Mukkomboo at roughly 0600 hours, officials noted that only 777 cusecs remained at the dam for potable water needs, leaving just 1,500 cusecs to feed the Upper Anicut canals. The remainder was diverted to the main Kaveri channel for downstream distribution to Grand Anicut and the ancient Kallanai barrage.

Agricultural specialists stress that the delta’s irrigation channels need more than 16,000 cusecs to sustain the current cropping pattern. With the present supply substantially lower, there is a genuine fear that fields will not receive adequate water, jeopardising the upcoming harvest. Farmers have begun pressuring officials for a higher discharge, warning that the limited flow could trigger a severe water crisis in the region.