Vehicular movement into Kerala will be restricted on Thursday following the announcement of bandh in the State following the Supreme Court verdict.
Theni Collector KS Palanisamy said, “Though celebrations are being held at several places after the Supreme Court verdict on the Mullaiperiyar dam, no untoward incident is reported.” “The announcement of bandh in Kerala on Thursday will restrict vehicular movement between the two States. However, we are prepared to face any situation in the district,” he said.
Welcoming the Supreme Court verdict on the Mullaiperiyar dam, farmers of the region said the increase of water level to 142 feet would revive agriculture in the Madurai region and help them meet drinking water demand from Madurai and from the adjoining areas. R Arul Pragasam, a member of the Periyar Irrigation Project Committee, told Express: “1.45 lakh double-crop acres could not carry a second crop since the water level in the Mullai Periyar dam was reduced to 136 feet from its full capacity of 156 feet.However, both the crops were grown without any hurdle before the move of reducing the water level in the 1980s.”
Another farmer said, “The Tamil Nadu government must not delay in lowering shutters to facilitate the storage up to 142 feet. However, a lack of electricity in the region would delay the process to over 10 days if 13 shutters operated with generators.”
Sukumaran, Secretary of the Cumbum Uthamapalayam Farmers Association, said, “The dam has dead storage up to 104 feet and now the water level is 110 feet. The silt was removed last year. With this verdict, more water can be stored.”