Chennai/Salem/Trichy: Due to the release of 2 lakh 10 thousand cubic feet of water per second from the Mettur Dam, there has been severe flooding in Cauvery. Water surrounds residential areas in coastal areas. Meanwhile, Chief Minister M. K. Stalin held an emergency meeting with the District Collectors regarding the flood.
The Chief Minister directed the officials not to increase the release of water from the dams without prior notice and to take precautionary measures in the flood prone areas.
Southwest Monsoon has intensified in Tamil Nadu. Heavy rains have been lashing most of the districts for the past few days. In the state of Karnataka, the dams in the Cauvery catchment area also overflowed due to continuous heavy rains. Subsequently, a large amount of excess water is being released into the Cauvery from the dams. Due to this, the flow of water to Mettur dam increased and the dam was full on the 16th. After that, all the water coming into the dam is discharged as it is. The flow of water, which was 1 lakh 40 thousand cubic feet the day before yesterday, increased gradually and was 2 lakh 10 thousand cubic feet yesterday afternoon.
A total of 2,10,000 cubic feet of water is being released into the Cauvery river from the dam through hydropower stations at 23,000 cubic feet per second and 1,87,000 cubic feet per second through 16 sluices. Due to this there has been severe flooding in Cauvery. The water flows touching both the banks. Floods are also overflowing the banks in many areas.
A flood warning has been issued to the people along the banks due to flooding in Cauvery. Water entered the residences in Kannagi Nagar and Manimekalai Nagar areas of Pallipalayam and Kumarapalayam municipalities on the banks of the Cauvery in Namakkal district. The people there have been rescued through gifts and accommodated in schools and marriage halls.
Muniyappan Temple in Karungalpalayam, Erode and 200 residences in the area were also flooded. All those present were taken to safe places. Similarly, Cauvery water also entered residential areas including Bhavani Balakarai and Cauvery Nagar.
As of yesterday evening, 1.60 lakh cubic feet of water was flowing in Mukkombu Melani of Trichy district. Of this, 56,254 cubic feet of water has been released in Cauvery and 90,405 cubic feet in Kolli. Due to this, the water in Cauvery river touches both the banks and rushes. The respective District Collectors have advised the people living along the banks of Cauvery and Kollid rivers to be safe.
The water resources, revenue and police departments are monitoring the areas where the banks are weak round the clock. The water resources department and district administrations are ready with necessary steps to repair the banks of the rivers in case of breach.
A submerged banana
Due to high water flow in Cauvery, the water overflows the bank near Uttamarcheli on the Trichy-Kallanai road and flows into Kollidam river. Traffic has been blocked due to water flooding on the road. Hundreds of acres of crops, including bananas, were submerged in water in areas such as Tiruvalarcholai, Utthamarseeli, Gautharasanallur and Klikkudu.
In this case, Chief Minister M.K.Stalin held an emergency meeting yesterday at the Chennai Secretariat regarding the precautionary measures. In this, Ministers Duraimurugan, KKSSR Ramachandran, Chief Secretary V.Irayanbu, Commissioner of Revenue Administration SK.Prabhakar, Water Resources Secretary Sandeep Saxena, Home Affairs Secretary K. Panindra Reddy, DGP Shailendra Babu, Revenue Department Secretary Kumar Jayant, Disaster Management Director SA Raman and others participated.
The Chief Minister held a video conference with the 12 District Collectors of Cauvery Coastal Districts namely Tiruchi, Karur, Salem, Namakkal, Thanjavur, Ariyalur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Erode, Tiruvarur, Cuddalore and Tirupur. Instructions given by the Chief Minister in the meeting:
A large amount of surplus water is discharged into the Cauvery. Due to this, Cauvery and Kollidam coastal districts may be affected. Therefore, the monitoring officers appointed for these districts should rush there immediately and take appropriate precautionary measures.
2 teams of National Disaster Response Force present in Kanyakumari district and one team of Tamil Nadu Disaster Response Force in Tirunelveli district should immediately go to Trichy district. 2 teams of Tamil Nadu Disaster Response Force with 40 soldiers each should be sent to Erode and Namakkal districts.
If there is any crop damage in these areas, the District Collectors should conduct a direct field inspection and take appropriate action. Ministers should also visit the districts in person and carry out relief work quickly. Multi-disciplinary zonal teams, rescue teams and relief camps should be kept ready with equipment such as JCP machines, tree cutters etc. in places affected by heavy rains.
People should not increase the discharge of water from dams at unexpected times, especially at night, without giving adequate local notice. Quality food, drinking water, milk, bread etc. should be provided to the people who are staying in safe places.
All levels of officers should be engaged in patrolling coastal areas. There are reports that the bags of paddy procured from the farmers are getting wasted in the rains in some places. Paddy bags should be covered with tarpaulins so that they do not get affected by rain. Immediate action should be taken to shift them to storage warehouses.
The public should pay close attention to the precautionary messages issued by the government and district administration and act accordingly. This was instructed by the Chief Minister.