Having surpassed the normal coverage of paddy during the Samba-Thaladi cultivation season, the Cauvery delta is now facing the challenge of saving it, spread over nearly 12 lakh acres, till harvest.
The authorities are contemplating resuming water release from Mettur which was stopped on October 10. A decision in this regard is expected to be taken soon. A veteran water expert says that the release may have to be done till mid-February, if and when the resumption of the discharge is made.
As on date, the water level of Mettur stood at71.25 ft (full level: 120 ft) with the storage being 33.78 thousand million cubic feet (tmc ft ) against the capacity of 93.47 tmc ft.. Assuming that the government would repeat what it did in October when it stopped the release as the level touched 30.9 ft with the storage being around 7.9 tmc ft, it could make available nearly 25 tmc ft for farming in the delta.
