Chennai, Jul 28 (IANS): The PMK has called upon the Tamil Nadu government to take immediate steps for releasing water from the Mettur dam to facilitate farmers' preparation for the Samba paddy cultivation.

PMK state president and former Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss in a statement on Sunday said that the release of water from the dam immediately would prevent a flood-like situation in Delta districts of the state.

The water level in Mettur dam went up to 103.7 feet, just 17 feet short of its full capacity of 120 feet by 8 p.m. on Saturday. The dam has nearly 70 tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) of water against its full capacity of 93.47 tmcft.

According to highly placed sources in the Tamil Nadu water works department, the Kabini and Krishnaraja Sagar dams in Karnataka have reached their full capacity and the entire inflow into those dams is now being discharged into the Cauvery river. This would lead to a substantial increase in water flow into the Mettur dam.

The Central Water Commission, according to Tamil Nadu authorities, has issued a late-night advisory on Saturday to Mettur dam officials and downstream areas to take precautionary steps as the combined discharge of 1,45,000 cusecs of water from Krishnaraja Sagar and Kabini dams was expected to reach the dam.

A statement from Mettur dam officials on Saturday late night said that the inflow was 1.23 lakh cusecs and the outflow was 1,000 cusecs.

The Mettur dam plays a crucial role in fulfilling the irrigation and drinking water needs of the delta districts of Tamil Nadu and the rise in water level brings relief to farmers and residents of the delta region who primarily depend on the dam for their water needs.

Tiruchy district Collector M. Pradeep Kumar on Saturday night issued a flood alert to residents living on the banks of the Cauvery and Kollidam Rivers.