After Two-Month Gap, Tamil Nadu Releases 350 Cusecs from Mullaperiyar Dam
Tamil Nadu on Saturday resumed the release of water from the Mullaperiyar dam after a two-month lull, following a significant rise in the reservoir's level due to heavy rainfall in the catchment areas. The water, 350 cusecs in total, will be used for agricultural and drinking purposes across five neighbouring districts of the state.
Officials said the state typically begins releasing water from the dam on June 1 every year to meet irrigation and drinking needs. This year, however, the El Niño effect resulted in scanty monsoon rainfall through June and July, keeping the water level below the 113-foot mark. The recent spell of heavy downpour over the past week raised the storage level to 122.30 feet on Saturday, prompting farmers' groups to demand immediate release of water.
Responding to these demands, the authorities released the water on the same day. The supply is expected to continue for the next 120 days. Of the 350 cusecs, 200 cusecs have been allocated for agricultural purposes and the remaining 150 cusecs for drinking water.
The delayed release had earlier threatened the first farming season across 14,707 hectares of land in the districts of Theni, Madurai, Dindigul, Ramanathapuram, and Sivaganga. The region had faced a severe drought-like situation in the absence of adequate storage in the dam.
Theni MP Thanga Tamil Selvan and Cumbum MLA Jagannath Misra were among those present at the water release ceremony. During the event, the MLA raised concerns about waste from the Kumily local body areas mixing with the dam's water. He demanded immediate measures to stop the pollution.
Separately, Kumily panchayat president M.M. Varghese, in a recent letter to Tamil Nadu authorities, pointed out that sewage from the Tamil Nadu bus stand was flowing into the dam and urged prompt action. The local body also said steps are already under way to set up a sewage treatment plant in Kumily to address the issue.
The Mullaperiyar dam, located in Kerala's Idukki district, is operated by Tamil Nadu under a lease agreement. The release is part of an annual schedule, but the late monsoon and resultant low storage had delayed the process this year.
