'Mullaperiyar Dam safe': Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin assures Kerala

Following a written request from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, seeking the latter's intervention in regulating water discharge from the Mullaperiyar dam, Stalin on August 9 replied by saying that the dam is safe in all aspects.

CM Stalin in response to his counterpart from Kerala said, "I wish to reassure that Mullaperiyar Dam is safe in all aspects and flood regulation of the dam is being done as per the Rule curve and gate operation schedule approved by Central Water Commission in February 2021."

Notably, a rule curve is a measure that defines the storage or the vacant space maintained in a reservoir at different times of the year. It also decides on the fluctuating storage levels of the reservoir and is the deciding factor in the opening of the gates of the reservoir.

"Our dam management team is very focused on the precautionary measures to be taken on time for ensuring the safety of the people residing downstream of the Mullaperiyar Dam," the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister added.

CM Vijayan's request to CM Stalin

In light of the red alert that was issued by the IMD of heavy rainfall in eight districts of Kerala including the district of Idukki on August 5, CM Pinarayi Vijayan had written to Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin to reduce the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam to a safe position.

Vijayan said, "As you are aware, the State of Kerala has been experiencing heavy rainfall for the last few days. Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has already issued a red alert in several districts of Kerala, including Idukki, and the water level of Mullaperiyar Dam is nearing 136 feet. If this situation persists, there will be a drastic rise in the water level in the dam due to the heavy inflow into the dam".

Hence CM Vijayan requested the TN CM 'to give directions to the authorities concerned to ensure that the outflow/discharge from the dam is more than the inflow' in case the water level of the Mullapriyar dam rises due to heavy rainfall following the red alert. 

Following Kerala CM's letter, the Tamil Nadu government reportedly released 534 cubic feet of water per second from the Mullaperiyar dam to the Kerala region without consulting the farmers of Tamil Nadu, reported ANI.

Opposition slams DMK govt of Tamil Nadu

AIADMK coordinator and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam slammed the Stalin government and said, "When AIADMK was in power, the Mullaperiyar dam was held up to 142 feet several times but this system was not followed for two years after DMK came to power."

Reportedly, the farmers from Madurai, Dindigul, Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga districts of Tamil Nadu who mostly benefit from the Mullaperiyar dam claim that it is because of the “rule curve” that the Mullaperiyar dam does not store water up to 142 feet. The farmer unions have also strongly condemned this provision of “rule curve”.

(With inputs from ANI)