People living in the Kerala villages in downstream areas of the 120-year-old Mullaperiyar dam spent yet another day in anxiety on Tuesday as the water level in the age-weakened dam remained near the maximum permitted point and amidst reports that Tamil Nadu could open the spillway gates of the dam again which could lead to flooding of homes and farmlands.
The Kerala Government decided to approach the Supreme Court to complain about the Tamil Nadu act of unilaterally opening eight spillway gates of the dam on Monday night to drain out water in alleged violation of the concerned rules and without issuing proper warning. Tamil Nadu had opened the spillway gates as water level touched the permitted limit of 142 feet.
Protests erupted on Tuesday morning in Vallakkadavu village on the banks of River Periyar which received the water drained from the reservoir and took to the giant Idukki reservoir with villagers complaining about loss of domestic animals, pump sets, fishing boats and pump sets as the river got flooded with water from the dam on Monday night.
“We had no information on when the spillway shutters were going to open. The gates were opened without warning. The Kerala officials also had no idea and they were not prepared to meet the emergency. It is now said that the shutters could be opened again. What are we supposed to doIJ” asked an angry resident of Vallakkadavu on Monday morning.
The eight spillway shutters which were opened on Monday night were downed early Tuesday morning but three gates had to be opened again as the water level in the reservoir started rising further. The water level in the dam had stood at 141.6 on Tuesday but this went up to 141.77 feet by evening sparking rumours about possibility of opening more shutters.
Though Tamil Nadu had increased the volume of water it was drawing from the reservoir by Monday night, the water level rose further on Tuesday. The rate of inflow of water to the reservoir from the catchment areas on Tuesday evening was 2,600 cubic feet per second. However, rains in the catchment areas could lead to a rise in the rate of inflow.
V Ratheesan, district collector of Idukki, Kerala and his counterpart in Theni, Tamil Nadu held discussions on Tuesday evening about the steps to be taken to keep the water level at safe level. They reportedly reached an understanding to allow the dam water level not to climb above the 141-feet mark.
This would be done by draining out the dam water into Kerala territory once the Tamil Nadu Government cleared the plan, it was said. Though the dam is situated in Kerala territory, Tamil Nadu holds the right to draw its entire water as per an 1886 lease agreement.