Open Mullaperiyar dam after alert, Kerala urges Tamil Nadu

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday wrote to his Tamil Nadu counterpart, M.K. Stalin, urging him to ensure that shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam are opened “only after sufficient warnings” and “during daytime”.

Mr. Vijayan said he had received information that shutters V1 to V8 of the dam were opened at 3.30 a.m. on Thursday. “Sufficient warning was not given before substantial discharging of 6,413 cusecs which was subsequently increased to 8,017 cusecs at 4 a.m. by opening all the 10 shutters,” he said. The Kerala Chief Minister sought Mr. Stalin’s intervention so that anxiety and apprehensions of the people living downstream are put to rest.

He called for a planned and gradual release of water only during daytime instead of releasing it at night or early morning. “The Government of Kerala is of the considered opinion that Tamil Nadu should get adequate water while the safety of people in Kerala is ensured,” Mr. Vijayan said. He stressed the need for the neighbouring States to discuss and devise strategies to tackle the consequences of climate change impacting the lives and livelihood of the people.