A caution banner kept near Kollidam river bank in Tiruchi on Monday. | Photo Credit: M. SRINATH
The Water Resources Department on Monday stepped up the discharge into the Kollidam River at Upper Anicut (Mukkombu) near here as the heavy discharge of surplus water from the Mettur Dam into the Cauvery River continued.
According to WRD sources, the discharge from Stanley Reservoir at Mettur was about 1.32 lakh cusecs at around 4 p.m. on Monday and the dam continued to get an inflow of about 1.29 lakh cusecs.
On Sunday, the WRD officials started diverting a portion of the realisation at the Upper Anicut into the Kollidam River, which is essentially a flood carrier. The discharge into Kollidam was gradually stepped up. The realisation touched 1.23 lakh cusecs at Mukkombu on Monday evening and, of this, about 73,339 cusecs was being diverted into the Kollidam River from here. WRD sources told The Hindu that full supply was being provided in all irrigation canals to their maximum capacity.
As nearly 50,000 cusecs of water was flowing in the Cauvery River, WRD, Revenue and police stepped up vigil along the banks. Collector M.Pradeep Kumar inspected Upper Anicut on Monday morning and discussed the situation with officials. Some of the bathing ghats along the river in Tiruchi, including the one at Amma Mandapam, have been closed.
The City Police have put up sign boards and flex banners at various locations along the Cauvery river here cautioning the general public to desist from entering the water or taking bath in the river in view of the increase in the water flow.
The caution boards have been installed at Odathurai, Thillai Nayagam bathing ghat, Ayyalamman bathing ghat in Fort Police station limits and at the Amma Mandapam bathing ghat in Srirangam where devotees in large numbers congregate to take a holy dip in the river.
Police sources said the boards were kept to alert the general public about the rise in water flow following its release from the Mettur dam. The boards and banners also contain the message that necessary action would be initiated by the police against violators defying the warning.
The sources said the boards and banners had been kept at 10 locations along the river course in Tiruchi city. A flex banner has also been kept near the Kollidam river bank at Srirangam. Police were mounting a watch at these locations, the sources added.
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Printable version | Aug 16, 2022 1:30:28 pm | https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Tiruchirapalli/tiruchi/article65654109.ece