Crops grown in the delta region of Tamil Nadu
Explanation
The Mettur Dam, constructed in 1934 across the River Cauvery in the Salem district of Tamil Nadu, creates the Stanley Reservoir. It is one of the largest dams in India and serves as a critical water management structure for the state. While it has multiple uses, its operational schedule is primarily dictated by agricultural requirements.Statement-wise Analysis
- Industrial cooling in Chennai is Incorrect. While the water from the dam is utilized for the Mettur Thermal Power Station and other industries, industrial cooling is not the primary utility of the reservoir.
- Crops grown in the delta region of Tamil Nadu is Correct. The primary function of the Mettur Dam is to store and regulate water for irrigation in the Cauvery Delta region (districts like Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Nagapattinam). This region is often referred to as the "Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu," and the release of water from Mettur is synchronized with the Kuruvai and Samba cultivation seasons.
- Drinking water for Bengaluru is Incorrect. Bengaluru is located in Karnataka, which is upstream relative to the Mettur Dam. Bengaluru receives drinking water from the Cauvery River via schemes linked to reservoirs within Karnataka (such as the Krishna Raja Sagara Dam), not from Mettur, which is located downstream in Tamil Nadu.
- Fisheries development in the coastal areas is Incorrect. Fisheries development is a secondary economic activity undertaken in the reservoir (Stanley Reservoir), but it is not the primary purpose for which the dam was constructed or is maintained.