IDUKKI: As the water level in Mullaperiyar dam came down to 141.60 feet, Tamil Nadu closed the four shutters on Monday morning.
Tamil Nadu had opened the shutters on Sunday night when the water level crossed 141.7 feet owing to heavy rains in the catchment area and resultant huge inflow. Around 800 cubic foot water per second was flown to Periyar by keeping open the shutters by half a foot height.
The water level decreased by 6 am on Monday and Tamil Nadu reduced the water to Periyar to 200 cubic foot per second. By 9 am, all the four shutters were closed. As Tamil Nadu is raising shutters during night and closing during daytime, the residents of Periyar banks are forced to stay awake during nights. They are leading a fearful life as the neighbouring State is flowing water to Periyar without any prior information.
Meanwhile, the inflow to the dam was marked at 2,393 cubic foot water per second. Tamil Nadu is drawing 2,100 cubic foot water per second through the four pen stock pipes and Irachilpalam canal. Mullaperiyar catchment area received 7.2 mm rain and Thekkady 59.40 mm.
The water level in Vaigai dam in Theni which collects water from Mullaperiyar touched 65.39 feet with an inflow of 3,516 cubic foot per second. It can store up to 71 feet. An amount of 3,160 cubic foot water per second is flown out from the Vaigai dam. The catchment areas of Vaigai dam-Kambam, Kudallur and Lowercamp also received heavy rains on Monday.