The Hindu : Front Page : Record storage at Idukki

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Monday, Sep 12, 2005

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Record storage at Idukki

Kerala Bureau

Collector convenes emergency meeting of officials today

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the storage in most of the reservoirs of the State reaching full reservoir levels, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is gearing up to open the Idukki reservoir for the first time in 13 years.

According to KSEB authorities at Moolamattom, the water level in the reservoir has reached 2,396.7 ft (as per the reading at 6.30 p.m. on Sunday), a record for the month of September. The maximum storage capacity of the reservoir is 2,403 ft.

In the last two days, the level increased by over two feet, they said. KSEB authorities have set up camp at the reservoir site to monitor the water level. They said if the dam was opened, the outflow would be regulated in relation to inflow in order to keep the water level in the reservoir steady. In the 31-year history of Idukki reservoir, it was opened for the first time in 1981 and then again in 1992. The reservoir was opened on November 15 in 1992 when the water level reached 2,401 ft.

Rainfall in the Peermade, Vandiperiyar and Kumily areas which form the catchments of the reservoir was low on Sunday. Authorities said the inflow would decrease in the coming days if the rain subsided.

The flow through the various schemes connected with Idukki, viz. Azhutha, Irattayar, Narakakkanam, Koottiyar, etc., remained vigorous during the past 24 hours. Idukki District Collector K. Sasidhara has convened an emergency meeting of the officials concerned on Monday to review the situation arising out of the unprecedented increase in water level in the reservoir. Officials of KSEB, Revenue, Police, and Forest Departments will attend the meeting. The step to be taken in connection with the opening of the reservoir, including rehabilitation of people living on the banks of the Periyar and those living near the dam, will be finalised at the meeting.

Meanwhile, the authorities have increased power generation at Idukki to 4.1 million units. Almost all dams of the Sabarigiri power project, the second largest in the State, are also full. The KSEB reopened the Kochu Pampa dam of the Sabarigiri hydro-electric project in Pathanamthitta at 6.20 p.m. on Sunday following heavy inflow into the reservoir. The shutters were earlier closed at 3.30 p.m. on Sunday

The KSEB authorities told The Hindu that Kochu Pampa and surrounding areas received 35 mm rainfall from 8 a.m. on Saturday to 8 a.m. on Sunday. Rainfall in Kakki during the period was 37 mm. Three shutters of Kochu Pampa dam, with a full reservoir level of 986.39 metres, that were opened at 9.45 a.m. on Saturday were closed when the water level fell to 986.25 metres at 3.30 p.m. on Sunday. The KSEB released 1.2 million cubic metres (mcm) of water from Kochu Pampa dam in the past 24 hours, according to sources. However, the water level shot up in the next two hours following heavy inflow from the catchments, forcing the Board authorities to reopen one dam shutter, the sources said. The water level in Kakki reservoir at 8 a.m. on Sunday was 979.25 metres, 2.21 metres below the full reservoir level of 981.46 metres.

Meanwhile, KSEB sources at Moozhiyar said there was no let up in the inflow to the Moozhiyar dam from its catchments.

The heavy rainfall coupled with the tailrace flow from the Moozhiyar powerhouse has made the Board authorities to keep open one of the dam shutters from Thursday. The shutters of the barrage of the Pampa Irrigation Project at Maniyar too have been kept open due to heavy discharge from the upstream for the past one week. Many of the smaller reservoirs of the KSEB, including Sholayar, Kuttiyadi, Poringalkuttu, Ponmudi, Neriamangalam and Lower Periyar, are also nearing full level.

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