The water level in the Mullaperiyar dam started to recede after Tamil Nadu increased the discharge of water on Friday evening after it reached 142 ft at 2.30 a.m.
Theni District Collector S. Palanisami informed Idukki Collector Ajit Patil at 3.30 a.m. that the water level had reached 142 ft, the level fixed by the Supreme Court, but the situation did not warrant opening of the spillway shutters.
Mr. Patil was told that the Idukki district administration would be alerted six hours in advance of the opening of the shutters, if such a need arose.
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The Tamil Nadu district administration had earlier issued an alert order to the Idukki Collectorate about the water level reaching 142 ft. The water level was 141.9 ft at 6 p.m. on Friday.
Mr. Patil was also informed that Tamil Nadu would discharge more water to the Vaiga reservoir in case of an increased inflow.
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Mr. Patil, addressing a meeting of the State Disaster Management Force at the Collectorate, said there was no panic situation in the areas downstream of the dam.
Action planA blueprint of the force’s work scheduled for these areas was also presented.
The team would inform the Collector about the amount of rainfall in the catchment areas so that steps could be taken in case of a crisis situation.
The battalion would visit the banks of the Periyar and coordinate measures in association with the police and officials of the Revenue and Forest departments.
InflowThe inflow on Friday was 1,400 cft per second and the discharge of water was at 1,916 cft per second.
The rainfall in the catchment areas had increased the inflow and the water level had risen to the maximum capacity after Tamil Nadu considerably decreased the discharge.
Mr. Patil said more shelters would be opened and basic facilities provided in case of an emergency.