The Irrigation department on Thursday opened 10 shutters of the Thanneermukkom barrage to release excess water from Kuttanad. Officials said the shutters that were opened in the morning were closed by the evening. The shutters will be opened and closed according to high and low tides till April 12.
The decision to regulate the functioning of the shutters of the bund was taken following concerns over the rising water level in Kuttanad caused by downpours and an increase in flow of water from the eastern side. The move, according to officials, will prevent flooding of low-lying areas in Kuttanad and save 'puncha' crop (first crop) from getting submerged.
The harvesting of paddy cultivated in the 'puncha' crop season, which began in February, is going full throttle in Kuttanad and other parts of the district. The summer showers, however, have affected the process in several places and farmers are worried for their crops.
Sowing delayed
Farmers have undertaken rice cultivation in 26,602 hectares (ha) spread across 587 padasekharams in the district, a major portion of which is in Kuttanad. Earlier, the sowing for the 'puncha' season got delayed in several areas due to heavy downpour and floods that lashed the district in October-November last year. As a result, the harvest and procurement of paddy are set to go beyond the normal schedule into the first week of June.
The Irrigation department usually closes down the shutters of the Thanneermukkom bund in December every year as an increase in salinity in the lake would be detrimental to paddy cultivation in Kuttanad. It opens the shutters again after the paddy harvest is completed in the region (March- April).
