IDUKKI: In the wake of the increasing water level in Idukki reservoir, one shutter of the Cheruthoni dam will be raised up to 40-150cm, releasing 40 to 150 cusecs of water from 6am on Tuesday, the Idukki district collector said. The water level in Idukki at 9pm was 2,401.12ft.
Earlier, the district administration had issued an orange alert when the water level in the Idukki reservoir crossed 2,40ft at 5pm on Monday. The orange alert level is 2,401ft and upper rule level is 2,403ft, which is also the full reservoir level.
“The releasing of water from Mullaperiyar and rainfall in the catchment areas of both Mullaperiyar and Idukki reservoirs has resulted in the increase in water level in Idukki dam,” a KSEB dam safety official said.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu continued to raise spillway shutters of Mullaperiyar dam during night despite Kerala requesting to avoid doing so. At 6pm on Sunday, nine spillway shutters of the dam were opened, releasing 7,341.06 cusecs of water to the Periyar. At 8.30pm four shutters were closed and the water release was reduced to 3,967.55 cusecs. At 10pm the water release was again reduced to 2,064.45 cusecs. At 11pm Tamil Nadu closed all spillway shutters except V3.
Later, at 4am on Monday, five spillway shutters of the dam were opened, releasing 3,967.55 cusecs of water. At 4.30am nine shutters were raised, releasing 5,668.16 cusecs of water.
Nine spillway shutters were again opened by 8.30pm, releasing 12,654.09 cusecs of water to the Periyar. This was the highest volume of water being released to the Periyar this year. The tunnel discharge was 1,864 cusecs. By 10pm they closed three shutters and reduced the water release to 8,380.5 cusecs. According to residents living downstream, TN’s act has given them sleepless nights.
P N Sebastian, a resident of Vallakkadavu, said that the entire government system failed to ensure the safe living of the people downstream of Mullaperiyar.
