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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin shared vivid photographs documenting the ceremonial opening of the sluice gates at the Mettur Stanley Reservoir in Salem district. Standing atop the dam crest, Stalin performed the traditional ritual of showering fresh flower petals onto the surging waters of the Cauvery River as they gushed through the regulator vents into the main canal. The ceremony marked the official commencement of water release for the Kuruvai paddy cultivation season.

The event held historic significance as it marked the earliest date Mettur Dam had ever been opened for cultivation in independent India. Stalin observed that favorable reservoir storage levels, combined with disciplined advance planning by the Water Resources Department, enabled the government to release water nearly three weeks ahead of the customary June 12 date. He emphasized that early water release will revitalize over five lakh acres of fertile agricultural land across the delta districts.

Stalin affirmed that the cascading Cauvery waters carry the hopes and livelihoods of millions of delta farming families. He reiterated his administration's pledge to ensure that every drop of irrigation water reaches downstream agricultural fields efficiently.