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Kerala begins evacuation as Tamil Nadu set to release water from Mullaperiyar dam
The two neighbouring states, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, have been fighting over the water level of the reservoir for many years. Kerala wants a new dam citing frequent tremors and changing rain patterns in the Idukki district where the old dam is situated, but Tamil Nadu opposes it fearing loss of control over the existing dam.
After Tamil Nadu announced its decision to open spillways of the Mullaperiyar dam, Kerala on Thursday evacuated 800 families living in downstream areas of the age-old dam. The TN government has informed its counterpart that it will open spillways of the dam at 7 am on Friday.
Later, Idukki district collector Sheeba George announced an alert in the district and ordered shifting of people living in areas near the dam. State water resources minister Roshy Augustine said all arrangements have been made and there is no need for any panic. Hailing from the district he has called a meeting of district officials on Friday to monitor the situation.
“We will shift 3,220 people belonging to 884 families. We are keeping a strict vigil. We have opened enough relief camps. This is only a precautionary measure and there is no need for any panic,” the minister said adding the TN government hasn’t announced the exact quantum of water to be released.
Districts officials said once the water is released it will reach the first downstream village Vallakadavu in 20 minutes and the Idukki reservoir will be filled by noon. Initially spillways of Idukki will be opened to ease the pressure and if needed shutters of Idukki will also be opened. Sluice gates of Idukki were opened two weeks back after catchment areas received heavy downpour. Fast floods and landslides induced by heavy rainfall claimed 40 lives in two districts, Kottayam and Idukki on October 17.
The two neighbouring states, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, have been fighting over the water level of the reservoir for many years. Kerala wants a new dam citing frequent tremors and changing rain patterns in the Idukki district where the old dam is situated, but Tamil Nadu opposes it fearing loss of control over the dam. After the 2014 Supreme Court verdict, Tamil Nadu carried out repairs and retrofitted, but Kerala maintained that these measures were not enough to check the dam’s durability.
The dam was built under an agreement between the erstwhile royal family of Travancore and the British administration in 1886 to take water to famine-hit Tamil Nadu for irrigation. Post- independence, the dam became part of Kerala, and since then, its main share of water flows to the southern districts of Tamil Nadu.
The contentious issue came up before the apex court on Monday after a resident of Idukki, Dr Joe Joseph, approached it with a plea that water level should not go above 139 feet because of heavy rainfall in the area.
The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered that the dam supervisory committee’s view to maintain water level at 139.5 feet till November 10 should be met. While hearing the case, the TN counsel said Kerala was whipping up fear unnecessarily but Kerala maintained that a new dam is the final solution.
