Arrangements to shift people downstream of Mullaperiyar

With the water level on the rise in the Mullaperiyar dam, the district administration has made arrangements to shift the people living downstream.

The water level in the dam reached 136.55 ft at 3 p.m. on Monday.

District Collector H. Dinesan told The Hindu that a subcommittee appointed by the supervisory committee under the Supreme Court was scheduled to visit the dam on Tuesday. A decision on opening the spillway shutters would be taken at a panel meeting. The subcommittee had members of Kerala and Tamil Nadu governments.

Kerala had demanded measures to keep the water level below 136 ft and prior information in case of opening the dam shutters. The maximum storage level of the dam is 142 ft. Downstream areas suffered heavy damage following the unexpected opening of the dam in 2018.

Mr. Dinesan said the water level was rising at a slow pace now. With the decline in rainfall, the water level may fall in the coming days. However, arrangements to shift people to relief camps were in place.

Peerumade tahsildar Shaji N.K. said temporary camps had been opened. An estimated 1,500 people from Kumily, Manjumala, Vandiperiyar, and Upputhara would be shifted to the relief camps. “The process will start after the Tamil Nadu government gives the second warning,” he said.

The people living downstream would be informed through loudspeakers and the keys of the buildings to function as relief camps were with tahsildars.

While the inflow of water into the dam was 5,600 cumecs on Monday, Tamil Nadu was drawing water at 2,100 cumecs.