Chennai, May 24 (IANS): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday opened the sluices of the Stanley reservoir at Mettur in Salem.

The water was released for the kuruvai (short-term) crops in the delta districts. Initially, 3,000 cusecs of water were released.

The state's Water Resources Minister and senior DMK leader, S. Duraimurugan was also present when the Chief Minister opened the sluices on Tuesday morning.

Generally, the dam is opened on June 12 and after heavy rains in Karnataka for the past few days, there was good inflow in the river Cauvery.

The officials in charge of the Mettur dam told mediapersons that Tuesday evening, the flow of water will increase to 10,000 cusecs.

The quantum of water will be increased in the coming days based on the requirement of delta districts, they added.

Stalin said that around four lakh acres of fertile land in the delta districts would be benefited and that it is for the first time that the water is released from the dam in May.

Duraimurugan also said that the early release of water from Mettur dam will not just allow farmers to go for the kuruvai crops but also allow them to prepare for samba (long term).