Jayalalithaa urges TN Govt to store surplus water

Chennai, Nov 16: AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa today urged the Tamil Nadu Government to take urgent steps to store the 'surplus water' being drained wastefully from the Mullaperiyar dam, to protect the interest of five southern districts in the State.

In a statement here, Ms Jayalalihaa alleged as the storage level in the Mullaperiyar dam had exceeded the limit of 136 ft due to heavy rainfall, the Tamil Nadu Government should have taken steps for creating a storage capacity of up to 142 ft as per a Supreme Court order.

But, since the Government had not given a directive to Public Works Department (PWD) officials to down the shutters to store surplus water, about 3,000 cusecs of water was being let into the Vaigai dam. As the Vaigai reservoir was already brimming with water, there was a flood threat in all the five southern districts, she added.

Ms Jayalalithaa claimed vehicular traffic towards Kerala had been disrupted as the gushing water had flooded the path near Irachipalam culvert in Kumili area.

Stating that farmers in the five southern districts had condemned the Tamil Nadu Government for its action, she said they were also prepared to launch an agitation against the Government for its failure to implement the SC order, permitting to raise the storage level of the Mullaperiyar dam to 142 ft.

UNI

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