Kumili: The water level in the Mullaperiyar dam touched 136 feet on Saturday night. The first announcement to this effect was made by the Tamil Nadu Government on Saturday. The maximum storage level is 142 ft.
The water level rose from 135.50 ft at 7 am on Saturday and reached 136 ft at 6 pm. The water level at 7 pm was 136.20 ft and by 11 pm the water level was 136.55 ft.
The water level has been steadily increasing in the past few days due to incessant rains in Mullaperiyar dams catchment areas.
The second announcement will be given when the water level reaches 138 ft, while the first warning will be sounded when it hits 140 ft. The chances of releasing water to the Periyar river might be considered only when the water level reaches 142 feet.
The Central Water Commission has already allowed Tamil Nadu to maintain the water level up to 142 feet twice in a year.
The Tamil Nadu Government is planning to exploit the new developments as an opportunity to approach the Supreme Court of India with the demand that the water level be maintained at the dam at 152 ft. Its argument is that there are no safety issues even if the water level in the dam breaches 142 ft.
With the forecast of heavy rain, the amount of water diverted to the Vaigai dam from the Mullaperiyar dam has been hiked. While Tamil Nadu was drawing water at 2,150 cfs, the inflow was at 3,608 cfs.
The Kerala Government has intensified its patrolling along the Periyar coast. A 22-member disaster relief management team was pressed into service. All steps have been taken in case a need arises for the shifting of people from the vulnerable areas to safer places.
No need to open Mullaperiyar dam now, says Roshy
Kerala Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine has said that there is no need for opening the Mullaperiyar dam now.
Tamil Nadu has been asked to take more water to their State. The Central Water Resource Ministry has been requested to interfere in the matter, he said.
Meanwhile, the release of water from one of the shutters of the Cheruthoni dam, forming part of the Idukki dam, continues on Sunday. The number 3 shutter of the Cheruthoni dam remained open to 40cm. The water level in the Idukki dam was 2398.26 ft, according to Kerala State Disaster Management Authority update at 7 am.
The dam was in the orange alert level as per the rule curve level announced by the CWC. As per the rule curve, the red alert level is 2,398.31ft, and the upper rule level is 2,399.31ft.
2018 situation
In 2018, when the worst floods in a century ravaged Kerala, the water level in Mullaperiyar was at a similar level. On August 14 that year, even though the level was 136.10 ft, Tamil Nadu was releasing only 2,200 cubic feet of water to the Vaiga dam in that state. At that time, the inflow into Mullaperiyar was 4,420 cubic feet.
At evening that day the inflow increased to 11,500 cubic feet and the water level went up to 137.40 ft. However, Tamil Nadu neither lifted the shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam nor released water to Vaiga. At night, the water level suddenly attained dangerous levels and Tamil Nadu opened the shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam without proper warning.
