Tiruvannamalai Collector D. Bhaskara Pandian launched water from Shenbagathoppu dam close to Polur in Tiruvannamalai on Tuesday, April 30, 2024
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Water from Shenbagathoppu dam close to Polur in Tiruvannamalai was launched following requests from farmers to irrigate 8,350.40 acres of paddy fields in the area.
Water can be launched up to May 11 for irrigation. Accompanied by S. Balasubramaniam, Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO), Arani, Collector D. Bhaskara Pandian opened the sluice gates of the dam that’s situated a couple of kilometres from the reservoir downstream.
Water can be launched into the river and distributed in the left and proper financial institution canals from the pick-up dam. Every day, on common, 105 cuses of water can be launched for farming. Cultivators are suggested to utilise the water judiciously, as it’s required for consuming functions in the district as properly.
The initiative comes after water from Kuppanatham and Sathanur dams was launched 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 complete storage capability of 287 mcft of water and a top of 62 toes, will profit farmers in round 200 villages in Polur taluk.
At current, the surplus water from the dam is discharged into 48 tanks — Polur (18), Arani (12), Arcot (9), Cheyyar (8), and Vandavasi (1) — by way of 4 test dams in the district, together with Alliyabhad and Karnakur test dams, thereby recharging the water desk in and round these villages. As these villages are situated on the foot of the Jawadhu Hills, water from smaller water our bodies like ponds, lakes, and streams is essential to assembly their home wants.
Of the 4 irrigation dams, together with Santhanur and Kuppanatham, that are maintained by the Water Resources Department (WRD), Shenbagathope was the newest dam to be constructed in the district in 2007. Banana, paddy, and groundnut are main crops grown in villages across the dam. After two years of restore work, primarily sluice gate repairs and strengthening of the parapet wall, at a price of ₹134.46 crore, the dam has been commissioned for water storage.
Among 697 PWD tanks in the district, 24 tanks have full capability of water; 40 tanks have 75 to 100 %; 80 tanks have 75 to 50 % and 68 tanks are fully dry. With ample water storage, there isn’t any drought in the district, officers mentioned.