Spillway shutters of Mullaperyar Dam opened

Thiruvananthapuram: Eight of the 13 spillway shutters of Mullaperiyar dam were opened on Monday as the water level reached 141.9 feet.

The Idukki district administration has started evacuating about 200 families from downstream of the dam in view of the opening of the shutters. About 4200 cusecs of water is now following down into the Idukki reservoir which is about 36 km downstream.

Though Kerala government had requested Tamil Nadu to increase the drawl of water from the reservoir, when the water level crossed 140 feet; Tamil Nadu had not heeded that. However, there are reports that Tamil Nadu had increased intake of water from Mullaperiyar into the Vagai reservoir from last night to 1400 cusecs and later to 2000 cusecs. However, Vaigai reservoir is already 90 per cent full and this might have prompted Tamil Nadu to release water through the spillways.

Studies by Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, had shown that Mullaperiyar Dam at its full reservoir level could be overtopped by a once in a hundred years flood, leading to dam failure. However, the Supreme Court had not accepted its findings. Once in a hundred year flood is of the type that occurred in Chennai which either beats or matches the highest rainfall historically recorded over an average period of 100 years. A few days ago inflow into the reservoir had touched 4000 cusecs.

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had ealier written to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha urging her to order opening of the spillways. (Download copy of letter here).