Water from Shenbagathope dam near Polur in Tiruvannamalai is released following requests from farmers, as the initiative will help them irrigate 8,350.40 acres of paddy fields in the region. Water will be released up to May 25 for irrigation.
Accompanied by C.N. Annadurai, MP (Tiruvannamalai), Deputy Speaker of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, K. Pitchandi, who is also a local MLA for Keel Pennathur assembly constituency in Tiruvannamalai, opened the sluice gates of the dam that is located a few kms away from the reservoir downstream. Water will be released into the river and distributed in the left and right bank canals from the pick-up dam. Every day, on average, 105 cuses of water will be released for farming. Cultivators are advised to utilise the water judiciously, as it is required for drinking purposes in the district.
200 villages to benefit
The initiative comes after water from Kuppanatham and Sathanur dams was released in March for irrigation of 9432.96 acres and over 45,000 acres of farmland in the district, respectively. Water from Shenbagathoppu dam, which has a total storage capacity of 287 mcft of water and a height of 62 feet, will benefit farmers in around 200 villages in Polur taluk.
At present, the excess water from the dam is discharged into 48 tanks—Polur (18), Arani (12), Arcot (9), Cheyyar (8), and Vandavasi (1)—through four check dams in the district, including Alliyabhad and Karnakur check dams, thereby recharging the water table in and around these villages. As these villages are located at the foot of the Jawadhu Hills, water from smaller water bodies like ponds, lakes, and streams is crucial to meeting their domestic needs.
Of the four irrigation dams, including Santhanur and Kuppanatham, which are maintained by the Water Resources Department (WRD), Shenbagathope was the latest dam to be built in the district in 2007. Banana, paddy, and groundnut are major crops grown in villages around the dam. After two years of repair works, mainly its sluice gates and strengthening of the parapet wall, at a cost of ₹134.46 crore, the dam has been commissioned for water storage.
