Southwest Monsoon

Water was released from the Mettur Dam in Salem district after water levels reached the required 90-foot mark, bringing crucial relief for farmers in Tamil Nadu's Cauvery Delta region. The opening, delayed by nearly 80 days from the customary June 12 schedule due to low rainfall and delayed inflows, provides irrigation support for kuruvai, samba, and thalaidi crops. The Tamil Nadu government has planned a water release for 45 days, subject to storage and continuous inflows. However, concerns remain regarding long-term water security for the state's agricultural belt, which remains heavily dependent on sustained southwest monsoon rains and water releases from upstream Karnataka. The broader inter-state conflict over Cauvery river water sharing and the proposed Mekedatu dam project continues to be a subject of contention and legal dispute before the Supreme Court.

The sluice gates of the Mettur Dam were opened to release Cauvery water for irrigation in the Delta districts of Tamil Nadu after an eighty-day delay from the customary June 12 opening. Inadequate southwest monsoon rainfall and low reservoir storage delayed the release. The government decided to release water for forty-five days, subject to storage and inflows. The release brings relief to farmers by supporting samba and thalari cultivation following losses to the kuruvai crop. However, sustained inflows from Karnataka and the upcoming northeast monsoon remain necessary to meet agricultural needs throughout the season.

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With Southwest monsoon intensifying in Kerala two days after its onset, heavy downpours lashed several parts of the state, especially in south and central districts triggering landslides, uprooting trees and power cuts.

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