Mullaperiyar dam safe, says TN Water Resources Minister

Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan on Friday said that the Mullaperiyar dam was safe and that the state was operating it properly according to the directives of the supervisory committee set up by the Supreme Court.
In a statement, the senior DMK leader said that Tamil Nadu has been continuously monitoring the rainfall in the catchment area and the water level in the dam on the basis of the directive from the apex court for maintaining the maximum storage level at 142 ft and the maximum water level according to the rule curve approved by the Central Water Commission.

The minister said that the Supreme Court has directed to follow the rule curve till the next hearing on November 11, and said that this was after hearing the arguments of the Tamil Nadu government on a writ petition filed by an individual from Kerala.

Durai Murugan said that Tamil Nadu has been continuously drawing water through the Vaigai tunnel continuously to maintain the water level in the dam as per the rule curve. He said that the Water Resources Department has decided to draw maximum water through the Vaigai tunnel and to release 500 cusecs of water by opening the two spillway shutters on Friday evening.

He said that these measures were taken following the heavy and incessant rains at the catchment areas and that Tamil Nadu has opened the spillway shutters after properly informing the Kerala authorities to take the necessary precautions downstream.

Kerala Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine and Revenue Minister, K. Rajan have been camping at the Idukki district - downstream of Mullaperiyar to monitor the progress of the arrival of water at Vattavada.

Kerala has already evacuated 300 families from the area following the opening of the spillway shutters - IANS