Flood scare leaves folks residing downstream of Mullaperiyar dam sleepless as TN continues to open shutters with out warning

Express News Service

IDUKKI: The months of November and December normally herald cool winter and nice climate circumstances on this hill district. But issues usually are not nice for the villages situated downstream of Mullaperiyar dam for the final a number of weeks.

The residents have been spending sleepless nights fearing that the floodwater from Periyar would submerge their homes after Tamil Nadu elevated the discharge via the Mullaperiyar spillways.

On Monday evening a whole bunch of homes within the villages of Vallakkadavu, Vikas Nagar, Churakkulam Attoram, Karuppupalam, Manjumala Attoram, and Inchikkadu Attoram have been inundated after Tamil Nadu elevated the discharge via spillways to 12,654 cusecs at 9 pm.

Roy Francis, a villager in his late 50s, appeared helpless as he and his household packed up family items on Monday evening. Roy and different residents settled in Ward-7 in Vikas Nagar of Vandiperiyar made determined efforts to save lots of their family necessities after the gushing water from Periyar entered their homes on one-foot top by 7 pm itself on Monday when solely 5 shutters have been opened to a top of 60 cm to launch 3,947 cusecs of water. The water discharge was elevated at 9 pm by opening 4 extra shutters.

.“At least 11 houses in Vikas Nagar area have been submerged in floodwater on Monday night. The water in the Periyar river started rising by 6 pm and by 9 pm and we had to climb on upper grounds for safety. Till early this morning (Tuesday), when the water started receding, we had to stay awake to keep guard of houses,” Roy instructed The New Indian Express, including he had been doing this for the final two weeks.

In 2018, when Tamil Nadu opened the dam shutters, water had entered Roy’s home to a top of 6 ft. “That time, the Periyar is already in spate and the release of water compounded to the issue. However this time, Periyar was at its lowest levels, hence flooding was not as serve as it was in 2018,” he mentioned.

But, if rain gathers power within the downstream areas, the potential of heavy flooding within the downstream areas is excessive. As per unofficial estimates, no less than 17 homes have been submerged in floodwater within the Churakkulam Attoram village whereas the floodwater entered practically 150 homes in Vallakkadavu village.

Although Tamil Nadu had opened the shutters of Mullaperiyar dam on October 29, water from the dam was launched with out correct warning since November 30, when the water stage within the dam reached the permissible stage of 142 ft.

To set free the excess water, Tamil Nadu has been opening extra shutters at evening whereas lowering the discharge throughout the daytime. Authorities attributed heavy rainfall within the catchment areas of the dam throughout the evening forcing the state to open extra shutters at evening to convey down the water stage.

Responding to this, water sources minister Roshy Augustine mentioned that Tamil Nadu’s transfer was inhuman with out contemplating the protection of residents downstream.

Even because the minister mentioned that the state authorities will convey its concern to the Tamil Nadu authorities two days in the past, as many as 9 shutters of the dam have been lifted once more to a top of 120 cm to launch 12,654 cusecs of water from the dam at 9 pm on Monday.

“The issue needs to be considered seriously as it poses danger to the life of hundreds of residents settled in the downstream. Residents including children are fleeing for their lives from their homes at night,” mentioned Manikandan, one other resident mentioned.

Shutters of Idukki dam raised

With incessant rain filling up the Idukki reservoir close to to its capability, the authorities, in the meantime, began releasing water into the Periyar river on Tuesday and raised the shutter additional to 60 cm at 8.30 am, alerting residents of low-lying areas close to the river.

The storage within the dam was 97% and the water stage was beneath the orange alert stage of two,401 ft until Sunday. However attributable to incessant rain for the final two days in catchment areas and the discharge of water from Mullaperiyar dam, the water stage within the dam crossed 2401 ft at 5 pm on Monday.

To set free the excess water, one shutter was lifted to a top of 40 cm at 6 am on Tuesday, which later elevated to 60 cm. As a lot as 40 cumecs to 150 cumecs of water will likely be discharged from the dam in a phased method.

A launch issued from the Idukki district administration mentioned the water stage is rising quickly within the Idukki dam and the Mullaperiyar dam, situated upstream. “If heavy rain continues, then the release of water will be increased. People living on the banks of Periyar are needed to stay alert,” it mentioned.

Meanwhile, one shutter of the Pambala dam (Lower Periyar) was additionally opened at 9 am on Tuesday to launch 500 cumecs of water.