A team from Kerala, led by its Irrigation Minister Roshi Augustine and Revenue Minister Rajan, along with Public Works Department (PWD) engineers, released 517 cusecs of water from the Mullaperiyar reservoir at 7.30 a.m. on Friday. Farmers from the five southern districts of Tamil Nadu had urged the State government to store the water in the reservoir up to 142 feet.
Though the Kerala ministers and the officials inspected the dam site in the presence of PWD executive engineer J. Sam Irwin from Tamil Nadu and others, the water release from the reservoir has come in for criticism from the farmers.
The PWD engineers said that following widespread rain overnight in Kerala, the inflow into Mullaperiyar dam stood at 6,635 cusecs and discharge was at 2,300 cusecs. The water level at the dam was 138.05 feet.
The five southern districts comprising Theni, Dindigul, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga and Madurai receive water for irrigation and for drinking purposes from the Mullaiperiyar and Vaigai dam. In 2014, the Supreme Court had directed that the water be stored up to 142 feet. A three-member Supervisory Committee was formed to monitor the inflow, among other aspects. Periodic inspections were also conducted by the team.
Speaking to reporters in Cumbum, farmers’ association leader K M Abbas alleged on Friday that the decision to release 514 cusecs of water into the Idukki dam through Vandi Periyar and Vallakadavu was “unilateral”. When the Tamil Nadu government had the right to release water from the reservoir, the act by the Kerala government had raised doubts among the farmers here. By releasing water at this stage, the Kerala government could insist on maintaining136 feet in the reservoir, he felt. In such an eventuality, the farmers would approach the Supreme Court, he added.
Meanwhile, AIADMK MLAs from southern districts have raised objections over the “stoic silence” of the Tamil Nadu government. Speaking to reporters in Theni on behalf of the MLAs, R. B. Udayakumar said that the then AIADMK government under the leadership of late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, took up the water storage issue with the Supreme Court and obtained a historic judgment. The favourable orders brought in much hope among the farmers since then.
However, now, some vested interest groups in Kerala indulged in spreading false information about the Mullaperiyar dam’s safety on social media. The Kerala government and its Chief Minister should take stringent action against such people, he said. The TN Chief Minister M. K. Stalin should not remain silent as it was a question of the rights of the farmers and of Tamil Nadu, he added. Mr. Stalin should immediately ensure that the apex court's order was executed in the larger interest of the farmers, he added.
