Chennai: Refuting media reports that Kerala had opened the shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam, Tamil Nadu reiterated that it has absolute authority over the structure and was in full control according to a 1886 agreement with Kerala.
Tamil Nadu's Minister for Water Resources S Duraimurugan was responding to reports, which he termed 'baseless', that Kerala had opened the sluice gates of the dam. Kerala's Water Resources
Duraimurugan said only 500 cusecs of water (against 514 according to some news reports) was released by the Tamil Nadu State Water Resources Department officials with prior intimation to Kerala.
Kerala Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine was present when Tamil Nadu raised two shutters to release water from the dam on October 28.
Flaying a section of media for inaccurately reporting that the dam water was released by Kerala on Friday, Duraimurugan said, the misreporting on the Mullaperiyar Dam in a section of media appears to be intentional. This should be avoided in the interest and wellbeing of the States concerned, he said in a statement here.
Explaining, the Minister said the Madurai regional Water Resources Department decided to open the dam after taking into account the surging water-level in the reservoir. It was opened on the morning of October 28 by the engineers of the Water Resources Department as the water in the dam continued to rise. Prior intimation was given to Kerala government, as per the standing guidelines and the water was released in the presence of the Kerala Water Resources Minister and Kerala officials, he said.
This being the case, a section of the media falsely reported that the Kerala government had opened the dam, the Minister said and recalled his statement on Friday that 500 cusecs of water was let out from 7.30 AM. As per the storage position at 8 AM today, the reservoir has 138.85 feet water with an inflow of 3,404 cusecs. About 2,340 cusecs of water was drawn through the tunnel to the Vaigai Dam with a discharge of 875 cusecs, he said. The quantum of water to be released would vary according to the inflows, the Minister added.
Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department is monitoring the level of water in the dam on a regular basis as accorded by the Central Water Commission (CWC) and as per the order of the Supreme Court. There is no doubt that the dam can impound water up to the permitted level of 142 feet depending upon the inflows from November 30. It is the Tamil Nadu government which owns, maintains and operates the Mullaperiyar Dam (located in Kerala), as per the 999-year lease agreement signed by Tamil Nadu and Kerala in 1886, he pointed out.
Meanwhile, AIADMK coordinator O Panneerselvam demanded the Chief Minister M K Stalin to clarify on media reports claiming 514 cusecs water was released from the dam by Kerala. Paneerselvam also demanded the government to maintain the water level at 142 feet.
Kerala Ministers to visit dam
Concerns have been raised in Kerala after the water level remained high in Mullaperiyar, even after water is being released through six shutters.
MInisters Roshy Augustine and P Prasad, along with officials, have left for Mullaperiyar to review the situation. The water level was at 138.85 feet. Kerala would reiterate its demand for retaining water at 138 feet.
(With PTI inputs)
