Water released from Mullaperiyar: Chaos in downstream villages

The Idukki district administration failed to alert the people in time on the release of water from the Mullaperiyar dam.

There was utter confusion in the downstream villages of Vallakadavu, Vandperiyar, Chappathu, Upputhara, and Ayyappancoil on Monday night as the Idukki district administration failed to alert the people in time on the release of water from the Mullaperiyar dam.

When the water level in the Periyar rose, people came out of their houses at midnight and shouted slogans against the authorities. Though a large number of policemen reached the area for an evacuation drive, the people refused to move to rescue shelters, which had already been in place.

At 5 a.m. on Tuesday the shutters were closed. It took two hours for the water released from Mullaperiyar to reach the downstream Idukki reservoir. Only 58.87 per cent of the total storage of the Idukki dam is filled and there appears to be no chance of opening the Idukki dam even if a large quantity of water is released from Mullaperiyar.