Mullaiperiyar dam fully under State’s control, says Duraimurugan

Stating that a few media reports on Saturday portrayed as if the dam was under the control of Kerala, Duraimurugan referred to the 2014 SC order upholding the 999 year lease between the two states and said, “There shall be no doubts. Mullaiperiyar dam is fully under the control of Tamil Nadu government. Some media reports portraying the reservoir as being under Kerala’s control are contrary to the truth.” 

“Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department is taking necessary steps to store water up to 142ft as per the SC order based on the rainfall level in the dam region region, inflow and discharge to Vaigai dam,” Duraimurugan said. 

Referring to the October 28 order of the SC in a writ petition filed by an individual, the Minister said that water was released from the dam by TN on the morning of October 28, as was decided by the WRO zonal office in Madurai. Officials of Kerala were informed in advance as per standard procedure and the Water Resource Minister of Kerala and a few of their officials were present when the sluices of the dam were opened, he clarified. 

“This being the truth, some media have reported as if Kerala officials had opened the sluice gates. It is very wrong, ” Duraimurugan said, before recalling his Friday’s statement that 500 cusecs was released via two sluices of the dam from 7.30am on Friday. 

Shutters of the Mullaiperiyar dam were raised further on Saturday morning as the water level in the reservoir rose to 138.90 ft, officials said. The three spillway shutters were raised to a height of 70 cm each and 1,675 cusecs of water was being released to the downstream, they said.