Idukki Dam Shutter Opened

IDUKKI:
A shutter of Kerala’s Cheruthoni dam was opened on Tuesday morning as the water level in Idukki reservoir continued to rise due to heavy rains in its catchment areas and opening of shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam, official sources said here.

Shutter No 3 of the Cheruthoni dam was opened at 6 am by 40 cm but it was raised to 60 cm on 8.30 am, Idukki district officials said.

The Idukki district administration has sounded an orange alert as the water level in the reservoir there touched 2401.58 feet.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu has closed eight shutters of the Mullaperiyar Dam hours after those were opened causing heavy flow of water in Periyar river on Monday night.

However, one shutter of the 126-year-old dam was not shut and it was raised by 10 cm, regulating the flow of water.

The releasing of huge quantity of water from Mullaperiyar dam on Monday night created panic among people living in the settlement areas on the banks of river Periyar in the district as the water started entering their houses.

Kerala Irrigation Minister Roshy Augustine condemned the releasing of water from Mullaperiyar dam during night hours. He said the state government will raise the matter in the appropriate legal forums.

Tamil Nadu had opened nine shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam on Monday night to release 12654.09 cusecs of water in view of the rising water level in the reservoir and shut down three of them after 10 PM.