Water to be released from Muvattupuzha, Periyar Valley

KOCHI: Water will be released from the Periyar Valley and Muvattupuzha irrigation projects next week to end water shortage in the district’s eastern parts.While water from the Periyar Valley project will be released on January 10, the shutters of Muvattupuzha project will be opened on January 15.
In the District Development Committee meeting last week, MLAs Antony John and Eldho Abraham demanded immediate release of the water, considering its acute shortage in the hilly eastern parts of the district.

Though the district received a fair amount of rainfall, the water table has been depleting and the wells in the upper reaches of the district have started drying up.“Sufficient quantity of water will be released so that users at the tail end of the canals get enough water for irrigation. This year, we have enough water in store to meet the needs during summer,” District Collector K Mohammed Y Safirulla told Express.
Ahead of releasing water, the Irrigation Department has started cleaning the canals. Around 90 per cent of the canals under Muvattupuzha project have been cleaned. The canals under the project have total length of 335 km in Ernakulam, Idukki and Kottayam districts.

The cleaning of canals under the Periyar Valley project has been expedited and around 60 per cent of the work is over.Irrigation Department officers said 90 per cent of the work will be over by January 10. The Periyar Valley canals have a total length of 750 km.

The canal covers a distance of 400 km under Perumbavur division and 350 km under Aluva division.
Safirulla visited the Aarur left bank main canal and the Ramamangalam branch canal of the Muvattupuzha project and also the Kodanad east and west canals and Bhuthathankettu barrage on Tuesday to assess the progress in the cleaning work.

Water Release from Periyar Valley: January 10
Length of canals: 750 km
Water release from Muvattupuzha project:
January 15
Length of canal: 335 km