TIRUCHY: Chief Minister MK Stalin visited the Cauvery Delta region here on Friday and inspected the ongoing desilt works undertaken with an estimated cost of Rs 90 crore ahead of water release from Mettur dam and instructed the officials to complete the works on time. Later he interacted with the farmers from Thanjavur and Tiruchy.

According to the officials, the desilt works have been undertaken with proper consultations with the farmers.

Chief Minister MK Stalin who visited Tiruchy and Thanjavur districts, inspected the total of 691 desilt works to a distance of 4777.13 kms. Officials said that the Chief Minister was very particular to increase the average cultivation acreage in the Delta.

The CM in Thanjavur inspected the Muthalai head canal at Alakudi and the ‘C’ category canals at Vinmangalam. Through these desilt works, 2,042 acres would get irrigation. Simialry, the ‘E’ category canals at Vinmangalam to the tune of Rs 5 lakh to a distance of 2.5 km has been under way. This would irrigate around 450 acres.

Subsequently, CM Stalin visited Thirumangalam village in Lalgudi in Tiruchy and inspected the Koozhaiyaru irrigation canals and the Nandiyaru irrigation canal. Once Koozhaiyaru canal is desilted, Mettupatti, Thinniyam, Sengaraiyur and Kalvikudi villages would be saved from flooding. The Nandiyaru would irrigate 5,777 acres.

Later, the Chief Minister interacted with the beneficiaries of MGNREGS at Alangudi in Lalgudi and received their grievance petitions.

Ministers Duraimurgan, KN Nehru, MRK Panneerselvam and Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi accompanied the Chief Minister.

Later, CM Stalin said “The exclusive farm budget shows the DMK government’s commitment towards farmers and agriculture.”

The CM also said the revised power tariff is applicable only to commercial establishments and not to domestic consumers. The increase is between 13 paise to 21 paise only. The power tariff needed to be revised as the AIADMK government signed the UDAY project when J Jayalalithaa was in the hospital.