TN refutes Kerala’s charge, says it went by rules in releasing Mullaperiyar water

Upset over the allegation by Kerala that the recent flood in that State was caused by the sudden release of water from Mullaperiyar Dam by the Governnment of Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswamy retaliated on Friday by charging that the southern neighbour was spreading misinformation.

The Kerala Government in its affidavit filed in the Supreme Court on Thursday had claimed that the sudden release of water from Mullaperiyar Dam by Tamil Nadu was the cause for the recent floods. The controversial Mullaperiyar Dam, situated in the Idukki district of Kerala is owned and operated by Tamil Nadu  has been a bone of contention between the two States for the last five decades.

“The floods in Kerala were caused by the sudden opening of various dams in that State and we do not have any role in it. Kerala received fairly good rain this season,” said the Chief Minister while interacting with journalists at Tiruchirappalli on Friday.

“The water released from the Mullaperiyar Dam flowed only in one part of the State. Water was released only after three warnings and that too in a gradual manner,” said Palaniswamy. He also said that the allegation was made by Kerala with an eye on preventing Tamil Nadu from storing water up to a height of 142 ft in the Mullaperiyar Dam.

Both the States were engaged in a legal war over the height up to which water could be stored in the dam. While Tamil Nadu ad insisted that it should be allowed to maintain the water level at a height of 152 ft, Kerala wanted the level to be brought down to 139 ft because of safety issues. The suit was filed in the apex court by Subramanian Swamy, senior BJP leader who asked the court to give a directive to Kerala Government to maintain water level up to 152 ft.  The court ruled in favour of Tamil Nadu but allowed it to increase the water level only up to 142 ft.

The Kerala Government’s affidavit in the Supreme Court was filed amidst allegations from dam safety experts that  the former delayed the opening of shutters of various dams in the State The simultaneous opening of all the shutters in these dams  led to the deluge in the  districts of Ernakulam, Kottayam, Alappuzha and Pathanamthitta, they alleged.