Mullaiperiyar dam safe, Stalin to Pinarayi Vijayan

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday assured his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan that the Mullaiperiyar dam, which is geographically in Kerala but operated by Tamil Nadu, was safe.

Replying to a letter sent by the Kerala Chief Minister on August 5, Chief Minister Stalin said water regulation of the dam is being done as per the Rule Curve and Gate Operation schedule approved by the Central Water Commission in February 2021.

In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Vijayan, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister said that the inflow to the dam in the first week of August was moderate and the rainfall in the catchment area of the dam was comparatively lesser than the rainfall in the downstream areas of the dam.

The Tamil Nadu chief minister said that when the water level was 136 feet at 7 p.m. on August 4, the field officers of Tamil Nadu had informed the Kerala counterparts by 7.40 p.m. itself of the possibility of opening the spillway gates on August 5.

Stalin said that this was done in anticipation of future inflows and that the information was also passed on to the District Collector, Idukki. He said that the spillway shutters were opened on August 5 and from then onwards, the spillway discharge was stepped up incrementally and avoided sudden releases.

He said that as of August 8 at 7 a.m., the water level of the dam stood at 138.85 feet and the average inflow was 6942 cusecs, with a spillway discharge of 5000 cusecs, and added that this was done in total conformity with the approved Rule Curve.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister in the letter informed the Kerala Chief Minister that the dam management team of his state was focused on the precautionary measures to be taken on time in ensuring the safety of the people residing downstream of the Mullaperiyar Dam.

He also said that the officers involved in the dam management were directed to regularly and continuously communicate with the officers of Kerala.