Kerala to convene an all-party meet on Mullaperiyar issue

Water level at the dam is nearing 142 ft, maximum limit fixed by the Supreme Court

The Kerala government on Wednesday has decided to convene an all party meeting to discuss the Mullaperiyar dam issue as the water level of the dam is nearing 142 feet--the maximum limit fixed by the Supreme court.

The Cabinet meeting on the issue decided to take into confidence the opposition parties, and keep them informed on the steps being taken by the state administration.

Chief minister Oommen Chandy said the all-party meet will be held on Nov 26. He also said the government would inform about the alarming levels in the dam and other related issues to the apex court.

Earlier, opposition parties criticised the government’s inaction over the grave situation prevailing over the rising water level in the dam.

ES Bijimole, an opposition MLA from Idukki district, notwithstanding opposition from the officials of Tamil Nadu, had visited the dam site, and along with the media team had aired visuals of the seepage of water from the dam and the formation of muddy land outside the structure. This has created serious concern over the safety of the dam as the surky paste used to construct the dam is flowing out.

A meeting of MPs from Kerala held today at Thiruvananthapuram also raised concern over the safety of the dam. Chandy, who attended the meeting, urged them to raise the issue in the next session of the Parliament commencing from December. The state government also wants to soon take the issue to the interest of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Meanwhile, the Idukki district administration took precautionary measures to face any emergency situation as the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam stood at 141.6 feet on Wednesday. This is the highest water level during the last 22 years.

The rising water level has also raised concern over the safety of thousands of people living  downstream. The situation has deteriorated further as Tamil Nadu slowed down the intake of water from the dam.

The intake of water by Tamil Nadu is roughly 10 per cent of the volume of water flowing into the 118-year old. While 928-cubic feet of water is coming to the dam every second, the intake by Tamil Nadu is 147 cubic feet per second.

This is the major reason for the rise in water level in the dam, which was built with rock and surky paste during the British rule. Officials of the water department have cited heavy rains in the catchment area for the rise in the water level.

The five-member Mullaperiyar sub-committee chaired by UH Gireesh, representatives from Kerala, George Daniel and NS Praseed, and Tamil Nadu’s representatives Madhavan and Soundarrajan, visited the dam.

The committee would hold a meeting if the water level touches the 142 feet mark. The Supreme Court recently had allowed Tamil Nadu to raise the water level up to 142 feet, even as the  Kerala government urged the court to maintain the level at 136 feet. As the flow of water into the dam is much stronger this time, it is likely the water level would cross 142 feet, which is  highly dangerous with respect to the safety of the dam.

Kerala has urged Tamil Nadu to lower the water level, either by increasing the intake of water or by raising the shutters of the dam.  

The apex committee on Mullaperiyar dam, headed by LAV Nathan, will visit the dam on November 24. Nathan earlier had warned Tamil Nadu against the indiscriminate rise of water level in the dam.