People asked to stay off banks of Cauvery in TN

The Tamil Nadu government has put all districts through which Cauvery river passes on high alert due to excess water being released from the Kabini and KRS reservoirs in Karnataka due to heavy rainfall in the catchment areas.

With more than 70,00 cusecs of water being released from Kabini alone, the Stanley Reservoir in Mettur in Salem district is fast filling up. The reservoir reached its full capacity of 120 feet in the third week of July and has been receiving a heavy inflow of water from dams in Karnataka in the past few days.

With 35,000 cusecs of water being released from Mettur, Salem district administration has asked people in 16 revenue villages that are on the banks of the river Cauvery not to go near the riverside. The district administration has also kept ready centres to lodge people in case they are evacuated from their villages due to impending floods in the coming days.

“We have been issuing advisories to all villages located on the banks of the river not to go near the riverside. Our village administrative officials are on the rounds to tell people not to risk their lives by going near the banks. Also, we have identified vulnerable areas and have put the officials on alert,” Salem Collector Rohini R Bhajibhakare told DH.

She said 35,000 cusecs of water is being released on Friday and the amount may be increased depending on the inflow. About evacuation of people, the district collector said they would think of evacuating people only if the discharge of water from Mettur crosses 1 lakh cusecs.

“Width of the Cauvery river can withstand up to 1 lakh cusecs of water. But, all precautionary measures and arrangements have been made to accommodate the people in centres in the event of evacuation from their homes,” she said.

The district administration, Rohini said, has also issued advisories to youngsters not to risk their lives by clicking photographs and selfies on the river banks. In July, five people of a family drowned when they were bathing on the banks of the Cauvery.