Kerala Water Resources Minister Inspects Mullaperiyar Dam
Kerala Water Resources Minister inspects Mullaperiyar Dam amid concerns of rising water level.
Kerala Water Resources Minister Roshi Augustine inspected the dam site on Thursday amid concerns over rising water levels in the Mullaperiyar dam due to heavy rains.
Two shutters of Mullaperiyar Dam were opened this morning.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday issued heavy to very heavy rain warnings for Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka from October 28 to November 1.
In a series of tweets, the IMD said, “Heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated/at isolated places very likely over Tamil Nadu and very heavy at isolated places over Kerala & Mahe during 28th October to 1st November 2021.”
Heavy rain is very likely at isolated places over Coastal Andhra Pradesh from 28th October to 31st October and very heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places on 29th October.
Heavy rainfall is very likely at isolated places over Coastal and South Interior Karnataka on 31st October and Rayalaseema from 29th October to 30th October.
The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Kerala and Tamil Nadu governments to abide by the decision taken by the supervisory committee regarding proper water level in the Mullaperiyar dam on the Periyar river in Kerala.
The top court was hearing petitions filed by parties from Kerala, seeking immediate directions to restrict the water level in the 126-year-old Mullaperiyar dam, which is being managed by Tamil Nadu to draw water to its districts.
The supervisory committee has recommended that the water level of the Mullaperiyar dam be maintained at 139.5 feet.
Kerala wants the court to direct Tamil Nadu, which manages the dam, not to allow water to accumulate more than 139 feet.
The government has said that the rise and release of the water level will threaten Kerala with floods and endanger the lives of lakhs of people.
At the same time, it has also been said that instructions should be issued to maintain the upper water level 139 feet till the next date of hearing.
The government has said that in 2018 the apex court had ordered that the water level should not go beyond 139 during the flood situation.
The Tamil Nadu government said it had no difficulty in maintaining the level of 139 feet till November 10.
The Tamil Nadu government has stated that the water level in the dam was 137.6 feet and argued that Kerala was exaggerating the situation.
The rain had already stopped and there were judgments of the top court which fixed the maximum water level at 142 feet.
