THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Tamil Nadu is likely to divert water from Mullaperiyar dam once the storage level crosses the Supreme Court stipulated 142 ft, to Vaiga dam in the wake of safety concerns raised by Kerala.
Though Tamil Nadu stopped taking water on Thursday allowing the water level to reach 142 ft, it was more for proving a point on the safety of the dam.
“Tamil Nadu officials have conveyed to us that water above 142 feet will be diverted to Vaiga Dam through tunnels and spillway shutters,’’ Additional chief secretary (Water Resource) V J Kurien told DC.
As of now Vaiga Dam has a space for 3.5 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic feet) water and Tamil Nadu could have diverted the water to the dam for additional power generation instead of allowing water levels to rise in Mullapriyar dam reservoir, he said.
Officials say by allowing the water levels to rise to 142 ft, especially when the level had remained at 136 ft for past three and a half decades, Tamil Nadu has disregarded the safety of the people and the danger to the forest.
“People say there has been no citing of animals in the area since the water level began to increase. About six feet increase in water level has brought huge areas of forest cover under water besides destroying the flora and fauna in the area.
But what is more alarming is the growing anxiety among the people living downstream about their safety,” Mr Kurian said.
Officials are also keeping their fingers crossed about the outcome should heavy rains occur in the area during the next 24 hours.
“Tamil Nadu will not be able to handle the situation and water will have to be released to Idukki dam. But the biggest worry in such a case scenario is about the safety of people living on the banks of Periyar," said an official.
