Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala government has been peeved by the apparently high-handed conduct of the Tamil Nadu authorities in releasing water from the Mullaperiyar Dam without issuing adequate advance warning.
However, the former has decided not to take the neighbouring state to task by demanding compensation.
Kerala has received a legal opinion that since only one-tenth of the water in Mullaperiyar Dam was released into the Periyar river without prior notice at midnight recently, it is not appropriate to seek compensation on this ground.
Following the legal opinion, Kerala backed out of its earlier decision to seek compensation from Tamil Nadu for the distress caused to the people living along the banks of the Periyar river.
The decision to seek compensation was taken after Kerala Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine's meeting with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. While preparing the new petition, Kerala added this matter as the fifth demand.
However, Kerala's lawyers in Supreme Court have pointed out that since November 21 and December 8, Tamil Nadu had released only 1.22 lakh cusecs of water and it would not be appropriate to seek compensation on this ground.
Why Kerala plays safe
Kerala received the legal opinion that Tamil Nadu which is adamant on the issue of cutting of trees for strengthening the Baby Dam should not be provoked further by asking for compensation.
Moreover, the proposed meeting between the chief ministers of Kerala and Tamil Nadu should also be considered.
Recent instances
Tamil Nadu had released water 12 times from the Mullaperiyar Dam without any prior notice on November 30 as well as December 1 and 6 between 1 am and 5 am. According to the report submitted by the Peermedu Tahsildar 71 houses between Vallakadavu and Mamala area were submerged as a result.
As reported earlier, the residents of Vandiperiyar, Vallakkadavu and Ayyappankovil are particularly vulnerable to the sudden rise in the water level of the stretch river close to the mouth of the dam. Recently, water gushed into several houses in Upputhara, Ayyappankovil and neighbouring panchayats as the shutters of the dam were lifted at night.
The Idukki district administration often issues a warning saying the dam's shutters will be opened. The warnings, however, mostly come late. The water would have gushed into their houses before the residents on the banks of the River Periyar received the warning, leaving them helpless, scared and frustrated.
Water level
Thodupuzha: The water level at Mullaperiyar Dam reached the permissible limit of 142 feet on Thursday morning. The heavy rains in the catchment areas on Wednesday night and the consequent increase in water flow, resulted in the rise of the water level in the dam.
The water level on Thursday morning at 7 was 141.95 ft.
The current water flow into the dam is not strong. One of the shutters has been raised by 10 cm to release 144 cusecs of water through the spillway.
Also, the shutter of Cheruthoni Dam has been shut following a decrease in water flow. At present, the water level in its main Idukki Dam is 2401.16 ft.
