Tamil Nadu to Open Mettur Dam for Delta Irrigation from September 1

The Tamil Nadu government has decided to release water from the Mettur Dam for irrigation in the Cauvery Delta region from September 1. The release will continue for 45 days, depending on the water available in the reservoir and the inflow into the dam. Rural Development and Water Resources Minister N. Anand announced the decision, saying the government had considered both the state's drinking water requirements and the irrigation needs of farmers in the Cauvery Delta. Despite insufficient rainfall in the Cauvery basin during the southwest monsoon, the government decided to proceed with the release following requests from farmers and members of the public.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay is scheduled to release the water from Mettur Dam on September 1. The decision comes at a time when farmers have been concerned about delays in opening the reservoir for Delta irrigation because of low storage levels and the continuing dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over Cauvery water sharing.

The Cauvery water issue is also being discussed before the Supreme Court. On Monday, the court asked Tamil Nadu to approach the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) with its complaint that Karnataka had not released the state's proportionate share of Cauvery water. During the hearing, Tamil Nadu's counsel argued that the state had not received the amount of water it was entitled to. The bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta noted that Karnataka had already released water in accordance with CWMA directions. Tamil Nadu, however, disputed this and maintained that the CWMA had not ordered Karnataka to release the full proportionate quantity due to the state.

The Supreme Court subsequently directed Tamil Nadu to raise the matter before the CWMA. The issue is expected to be considered again on August 31. The Supreme Court had asked Karnataka to comply with the CWMA's directions regarding the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu has been seeking enforcement of a CWMA decision requiring Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water every day for 15 days.

The state had approached the Supreme Court on August 3, challenging the alleged non-compliance with the CWMA's July 30 order concerning releases from Karnataka's Kabini and Krishna Raja Sagara reservoirs. Tamil Nadu sought a total of 4.536 TMC of water, corresponding to the 3,500-cusecs daily release over 15 days, and had requested that the quantity be released by August 12.

Against this backdrop, the opening of Mettur Dam on September 1 is expected to provide some relief to farmers in the Cauvery Delta. However, the availability of water for irrigation will remain dependent on reservoir storage and inflows, making the coming weeks important for both farmers and water authorities.