Prepared to deal with consequences of water release from Mullaperiyar dam: Roshy Augustine

“The houses of as many as 1,079 persons belonging to 350 families have been found to be flood prone due to a 2ft increase in the water level in Periyar .
Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine inspects the Mullaperiyar dam along with officials on Thursday | Express
Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine inspects the Mullaperiyar dam along with officials on Thursday | Express

IDUKKI: The state has already taken necessary arrangements ahead of the opening of Mullaperiyar dam gates and is prepared to deal with the consequences, Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine said in a meeting at Kumily on Thursday.

“Evacuation proceedings have already begun and the elderly and the bedridden will be immediately shifted to relief camps set up by the authorities in seven villages of three taluks — Peermade, Idukki and Udumbanchola,” he said.

“The houses of as many as 1,079 persons belonging to 350 families have been found to be flood prone due to a 2ft increase in the water level in Periyar . Among them, up to 35 people have been shifted to  the relief camp opened in Vandiperiyar Mohana auditorium and 19 to the St Joseph English medium school in Vandiperiyar. The rest have moved to relatives’ houses,” he said. 

Considering all shutters of the Idukki dam has already been closed, there is no need for concern about the discharge of water from Mullaperiyar as the Idukki dam has enough capacity to hold the water being released from the dam, the minister said. “However, Tamil Nadu has still not given us accurate information about the amount of water to be discharged from the dam on Friday,” he said. 

“Immediate medical aid has been set up at Kattappana and Peermade taluk hospitals and at the Community Health Center in Vandiperiyar. Police will conduct patrolling around the houses from which people have been evacuated,” he added.

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