The main falls at Courtallam in Tenkasi district experiencing heavy flow due to downpour in the Western Ghats.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

With pre-monsoon rain continuing to lash the district, especially areas close to the Western Ghats and the catchment areas of five dams in the district, the reservoirs are expected to overflow during the next week, PWD officials said.

Even as Gundar dam at Maekkarai, the district’s smallest reservoir, is already overflowing after reaching its maximum capacity of 36.10 feet, Gadananathi dam, the district’s largest dam with 428.52 mcft capacity, now has water for 73 feet against its maximum storage level of 85 feet and was enjoying an influx of 1,076 cusecs of water on Saturday.

Ramanadhi dam has a water level of 76 feet against the maximum capacity of 84 feet while receiving 138 cusecs of water while Karuppanadhi dam has water for 63 feet against the maximum storage level of 72 feet. The Adavinainarkovil dam, having the maximum capacity of 132.22 feet, now has water for 99 feet.

“Since all the dams are recording decent influx of water, thanks to the continuing precipitation along the Western Ghats, we expect all five reservoirs to surplus during the upcoming week. We’ve already strengthened the channels and the bunds of irrigation tanks and hence, release of water for farming from the dams can be expected by the end of June first week or even before that,” a PWD official said.

He also said the irrigation tanks under the Chittar Basin have been brought under constant surveillance as water has started flowing into these tanks.

Bathing remains banned in all waterfalls of Courtallam – Main Falls, Five Falls and the Old Courtallam Falls – for the eighth day on Saturday, much to the disappointment of the tourists. Even though the annual 3-month-long season at Courtallam would commence in the first week of June, the early monsoon has enlivened the otherwise sleepy town in the third week of May itself.

As water has started flowing in the waterfalls of Courtallam in May itself, the traders were hoping to enjoy extended business season.

“We expected families in large number to visit Courtallam before the reopening of the schools and the colleges due to early season. But, the continuous heavy downpour and consequent flood in the waterfalls, has drowned our business prospects and we are waiting for the floods to subside,” says trader Senthurpandian of Courtallam.

While the traders of Courtallam are sore over the heavy downpour, farming, especially ‘kar’ paddy season cultivation, has moved to top gear in Tenkasi district. With all irrigation tanks – both systemised and non-systemised – receiving water and rain continuing along the Western Ghats, ranches are being prepared for paddy cultivation.

“We expect good harvest this year as the dams and the associated irrigation tanks are expected to reach their maximum capacity before mid-June,” said farmer S. Murugan of Paimpozhil, known as Panpoli.