IDUKKI: The water level in the Mullaperiyar dam has come down to 138.30ft against the full reservoir level (FSL) of 142ft owing to the increase in discharge of water during the past two days. Though the district experienced a pleasant weather during day time on Monday, isolated places received heavy rain in the evening.
Currently, 2,974 cusecs of water are being released through the six shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam, in addition to the 2,330 cusecs drawn via penstocks. The average inflow of water into the dam on Monday was 4,104.18 cusecs.
Meanwhile, the water level in Idukki reservoir remained at 94.49 percentage of the total storage capacity. On Monday, the water level in the reservoir stood at 2,398.30 ft against the FSL of 2,403ft. KSEB authorities said the release of water from Mullaperiyar dam has not increased the water level in Idukki reservoir considerably, and hence, there is no emergency situation prevailing to open the dam shutters. However, in the wake of Met department issuing orange alert in Idukki till Wednesday, a strict vigil is being kept on the water level in the dams.
Opposition, govt spar in assembly
T’Puram: The assembly witnessed heated debate on Monday over the Mullaperiyar dam issue. Moving an adjournment motion, MLA Ramesh Chennithala said people of Idukki now face twin threats — the dam and legal action if they speak against government. He asked Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine to convene a meeting of parties from Kerala and TN to reach a consensus. When CM Pinarayi Vijayan asked Chennithala to desist from whipping up a scare over the issue, Opposition leader V D Satheeshan shot back. “When LDF formed a human wall from Mullaperiyar to Arabian Sea in 2011 demanding a new dam, then Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan said 40 lakh bodies will float in the sea if anything happens to the dam. The CM should not forget this,” he said.