After over a three-month delay, water from the Mettur Dam was on Monday released for Samba paddy crop cultivation in Cauvery delta districts in Tamil Nadu.
Initially 4,000 cusecs was being discharged which will be doubled later and gradually increased to 16,000 cusecs in coming days, officials said.
PWD Minister K V Ramalingam, who opened the shutters of the dam on Monday afternoon, said water would be released till January 28.
Published 17 September 2012, 19:54 IST