Mullaperiyar dam: Kerala's request to TN for an early alert meets with no response

Mullaperiyar, Nov 19: A five-member sub-committee, formed by the Supreme Court-appointed Supervisory Panel, inspected the controversial Mullaperiyar

on Tuesday as the water level touched 141.4 feet.

Meanwhile, Idukki district collector Ajith Patil, who visted the dam premises told reporters that the request made by the Idukki district authorities to the Tamil Nadu Public Works Department to alarm it at least eight hours before releasing water has met with no positive response. Idukki sitrict in Kerala houses the dam which, in the past, has caused much tension between Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Now, with rains getting stronger, the water level might go up to the permissible level again.Idukki collector Patil, who was at the dam premises to inspect the dam to make preparations as part of the disaster management in the district, said that without Tamil Nadu alerting the district, evacuating the families living near the dam will be difficult, said an NIE report.

There are around 450 people (120 families) living around the dam area.

Earlier, Kerala wanted the SC panel to recommend bringing down the water level to 136 feet as two of the shutters were not functioning. On Monday, Tamil Nadu Public Works Department engineers repaired the shutters and operated all 13 shutters in the presence of the sub-committee members.

The SC committee chairman and Central Water Commission Executive Engineer Umberji Harish Girish inspected the operation of all 13 shutters and checked for leakage on Monday morning. Earlier, the team checked measurements, including the water level, seepage and water pressure in baby dam as well as the main dam.

Oneindia News