Water level rising: Tamil Nadu says Mullaperiyar dam will be opened tomorrow; alert

IDUKKI: Tamil Nadu has announced that the Mullaperiyar dam will be opened tomorrow in view of the rising water level following heavy rains. The shutters will be raised at 10 am. A maximum of 1,000 cubic feet of water will be released. The district collector has informed that those on the banks of Periyar should be alert and there is no need to worry. The collector also said that all preparations have been completed to deal with the emergency situation.

The spillway shutters were not opened today as the water level in the dam reached 136 feet only by 10 pm. The excess water beyond 136 feet will be released into the Periyar by raising the shutters tomorrow morning. Idukki District Collector V. Vigneshwari had requested Tamil Nadu to open the shutters only during the day. Tamil Nadu had not complied with this in previous years.

The district administration had taken steps to evacuate people living on the banks of Periyar as the Tamil Nadu Irrigation Department had informed that the spillway shutters would be opened when the water level reaches 136 feet. More than 20 camps have been set up. There is no need to worry as the water level in Periyar has not risen significantly. The water flow into the dam is continuing unchanged due to the rains in the catchment area.

The water flow has decreased to 3,867 cubic feet per second today. 2,117 cubic feet per second of water is being transported to Vaigai Dam in Tamil Nadu through the penstock pipe. Apart from this, water is also being transported to Tamil Nadu through the Irachil bridge. Farmers' organizations in Tamil Nadu are demanding that the dam should not be opened even if the rule curve is reached.

Water level rising in Idukki also

The water level in Idukki Dam reached 2,362 feet this evening. This is 56 percent of the maximum storage capacity. The maximum storage capacity is 2,403 feet. The first warning will be given if the water level rises by three feet. The dam will have to be opened only if the water level reaches 2,373 feet before the 30th.