Mullaperiyar dam dispute between Tamil Nadu & Kerala revived after recent rains, floods

As part of regulating the water level of the Mullaperiyar dam, Tamil Nadu raised its shutters on Friday morning, Kerala Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine said on Thursday. The decades-old dispute between Kerala and Tamil Nadu revived after the unprecedented rains in the last couple of weeks raised the water level towards its permissible level of 142 ft. People residing downstream of the Mullaperiyar dam were evacuated as a security measure. 

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan recently had written a letter to Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin to draw maximum water and release downstream water gradually to the Kerala side. Expecting to lift the shutters, Kerala started evacuating families living on both banks downstream up to the Idukki reservoir, which is 35 km away. Additionally, Kerala has been demanding a new dam to replace the existing one and located 366 ft downstream. 

Evacuation process at Mullaperiyar dam

While speaking at an interview, state Revenue Minister K Rajan said that evacuation of people began from Thursday morning and was being carried out in three phases. A maximum of 859 families comprising 3,320 members was expected to be moved, and arrangements were made to accommodate them in camps.

Augustine, in the release, said that as the water level in the 24 kilometre stretch from Mullaperiyar to Idukki is expected to rise by about 60 centimetres, a total of 1,079 people from 350 families who would be affected by the two-foot-high flood have been evacuated. Visual from Friday morning showed Kerala revenue minister and water minister at the spot as two spillway shutters opened. Moreover, a Red alert has been sounded at Idukki Dam and it is likely that the Idukki dam may also be opened. The rise in water level will be first felt at Vallakadavu in Idukki.

Supreme Court's earlier direction on Mullaperiyar dam

On Thursday, the Supreme Court had directed that the maximum water level in the Mullaperiyar dam should be 139.50 ft until November 10. Kerala had proposed a maximum limit within 139 ft while Tamil Nadu wanted the level to be increased to 142 ft as fixed by the Supreme Court in 2014. On Thursday, the water level reached 138.15 ft.

(With PTI inputs)