After a gap of three-and-a-half decades and a relentless judicial battle, the level in the Mullaperiyar dam touched the 142-foot mark around midnight on Thursday.
PWD officials said the level was expected to cross 142 feet soon. Rain was more than moderate in the dam site since the evening, and the inflow was also good, they said. In the afternoon, they had reduced the discharge to the lowest.
But celebrations started in Cumbum. Farmers burst crackers at Goodalur and Cumbum and distributed sweets. Even the PWD officials decorated the Pennycuick Memorial with lights and displayed a multi-colour signboard, mentioning the achievement.
The Theni District Farmers Association described it as a historic day, and the excess water could be utilised to store 1,485 tanks in five southern districts.
The level touched the 136-foot mark on November 4. In the next 17 days, it reached 142 feet, thanks to the torrential rains in the catchments last week.
