Farmers in Tamil Nadu have reasons to cheer with water to be released for samba cultivation to be released from their lifeline Mettur Dam. As the level has touched 80 per cent of the dam capacity, its water will flow to 12 districts, including those in Cauvery Delta.

Though the dam water is released for cultivation in Thanjavur, Thiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts on June 12 every year when the monsoon is normal, scanty rainfall and refusal by Karnataka to release Cauvery water had created problems during the last three years.

A total 16.05 lakh acres in 12 districts from Salem to Perumbalur are being cultivated by the water released normally during 230 days till January 28.

This year too water was not released as per schedule, since the level stood at 20 ft on June 12. In view of plenty of rain in the catchment areas of the Cauvery, the water, including surplus, from Karnataka rivers, which were in spate for certain period, resulted in the water level crossing 90-ft, as against the capacity of 120 ft.

With the level reaching about 95 ft and more inflow into the dam, measuring nearly 13,000 cft, water was released for Samba cultivation this morning.

State Power Minister Thangamani, Higher Education Minister KP Ambazhagan and Environment Minister KC Karupannan were present to release the water after performance of pooja in the presence Salem District Collector Rohini and Semalai, MLA.