The Mullaperiyar Agitation Council has suggested that a new tunnel from a height of 50 ft from the Mullaperiyar reservoir will ensure water to Tamil Nadu while ensuring the security of the people living in the downstream areas.
“This will promise more water from the dam to Tamil Nadu’’ C.P.Roy, chairman of the council said and added that this was a proposal accepted by the Ainthumavatta Periyar Vaigai Passana Association, (an organisation of farmers), president K.M. Abass.
He said that the agitation was not against the people of Tamil Nadu, and while giving more water from the existing dam, the dead water storage could be reduced and it will address the fears of the people.
He said that if the dead water stored in the dam is reduced and the opening of the tunnel is changed near to the dam the security threat is addressed while it will provide more water to Tamil Nadu.
He said that the farmers in Theni, Madurai, Dindigul,Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram depended on the water from the Mullaperiyar dam and they will get more water while the water from the Mullaperiyar dam is stored at the New Vaigai dam and Rayapetti dam. He said that the existing dam could ensure enough water to Tamil Nadu while keeping the dead water storage level below 104 ft and changing the opening of the tunnel.
By this, the maximum capacity of 136 ft can be reduced to 100 ft.
He said that while keeping the water level at 100 ft, more water from the existing dam to Tamil Nadu, is ensured. If the water level in the reservoir is reduced, the threat due to the reservoir-induced tremors could also be less, he said.
