The Grand Anicut Dam, on the Cauvery river, near Trichy, was formally declared open by Tamilnadu state ministers Duraikannu, O S Maniyan and Kamaraj. The move is expected to ensure adequate availability of water for mitigating close to three and a half lakh hectares of farm land in the Delta region.<br />'' <br />''Official sources clarified that the opening of the dam had been slightly delayed so that increased quantity of water could be ensured. Farmers in far flung Cauvery delta districts like Tiruvaroor and Nagapattinam have been anxiously awaiting the opening of Grand Anicut, locally known as the Kallanai. The sowing for the Kuruvai crops depends mainly upon the opening of Kallanai.<br />'' <br />''<span style="color: #222222;">Though the dam is situated about 15 to 20 kms away from Trichy city, it falls under the administrative jurisdiction of Thanjavoor district, often described as the "rice bowl of Tamilnadu".</span><br />