Mullaperiyar: Capacity of canal will be increased to carry more water

KUMALI: A plan is being drawn up to release maximum water from the Mullaperiyar Dam to Tamil Nadu at all times. A team of top Tamil Nadu officials have started a study on increasing the capacity of the canal. Top officials of the Water Resources Department and Electricity Board on Friday reached the Forebay Dam in Upper Camp near Kumali to study the maximum water that Tamil Nadu can release from the Mullaperiyar Dam.

The water stored in the Mullaperiyar Dam is channelled from Thekkady Shutter to the Upper Camp Forebay Dam through a tunnel. From there it is taken to Periyar Power House at Lower Camp through penstock pipe.

At present, Tamil Nadu is carrying a maximum of 1800 cubic feet per second through penstock pipes and a maximum of 1200 cubic feet per second through the Irachipalam canal. Officials of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board and Highways Department have started the study in the Tamil Nadu area from Thekkady through the tunnel, the part where the water flows from the Forbe dam through the penstock pipe, and the areas where the water flows through the Irachipalam canal.