CHENNAI: Strongly denying reports that officials from Kerala had released water from the Mullaiperiyar dam on Friday, Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan on Saturday asserted that it was officials from Tamil Nadu who released the water. “As per the Standard Operating Procedures, Kerala officials were intimated. When the sluice gates were opened, the Kerala Water Resources Minister and some officials witnessed it,” Murugan said.
“The storage level of Mullaiperiyar dam stood at 138.85 ft at 8 am on Saturday. The inflow was 3,404 cusecs, and 2,340 cusecs of water were drawn through the tunnel to Vaigai dam, while 875 cusecs were released. Depending on the change in inflow, these levels too will change,” he added.
Stating that some reports erroneously claimed the dam was being operated with ulterior motives, the minister said such reports should be avoided considering the interests of both States. He also said Tamil Nadu’s Water Resources Department has been regulating the water levels in Mullaiperiyar dam in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directives. From November 30, the water level will be raised to 142 ft. The Tamil Nadu government has been maintaining, operating, and monitoring the dam, he added.
Earlier in the day, AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam had sought a transparent status report on the release of water from Mullaiperiyar dam, and referred to the reports that Kerala had released 517 cusecs of water from the dam on Friday. He said it was the first time water was released from the dam in the presence of Kerala ministers and officials, and this caused apprehensions among farmers in the southern districts. “The farmers feel Tamil Nadu’s rights have been mortgaged to Kerala,” he added.
Panneerselvam further asked why water had to be released from the Mullaiperiyar dam when the storage level was yet to reach 142 ft and also when the water was yet to reach Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram districts. He also asked whether the State government had consulted farmers of five districts before releasing the water.