PALAKKAD: One of the three shutters of the Parambikulam dam collapsed at 1.45am on Wednesday which resulted in flooding the Chalakudy river as the water reached Poringalkuthu dam by morning.The water discharge from the Parambikulam dam was 20,000 cusecs. Due to rain, all three shutters were raised by 10 centimetres each. However, the chains of the middle shutter came off suddenly, resulting in a huge discharge of water downstream.
Palakkad Revenue Divisional Officer D Amruthavalli visited the area and spoke to the executive engineer of Tamil Nadu who was in charge of the dam. She said the Tamil Nadu authorities informed her that the work on the shutter could begin only after two to three days.
The RDO also said the Aliyar dam had water up to the full reservoir level (FRL) and, therefore, water was not being released to it. And the water was released directly to the Poringalkuthu dam and, from there, to the Chalakudy river.
The continuous discharge of 16,250 cusecs of water by noon resulted in a rise in the water level in the Chalakudy river by nearly two metres. People living on the banks of the river have been advised to exercise caution.
Meanwhile, sources in the state irrigation department told TNIE that the water level when the shutter of the Parambikulam dam collapsed was 1,824 feet from the mean sea level. The crest level of the dam is 1,798 feet. And if the shutter is restored, the water level will come down to the crest level. This would take at least two to three days. However, the speed of the flow of water will reduce with each passing day.
Meanwhile, District Collector Mrunmai Joshi said as the discharge of water from the dam was high, tribals living nearby Parambikulam dam will be relocated if necessary. She said the wildlife warden of Thrissur and the Chittur tahsildar have been put on alert.