Kerala blames TN for not maintaining dam water level
Ahead of the Friday hearing the Kerala government informed the Supreme Court on Thursday that despite addressing the need for maintaining the water level at 139 ft in Mullaperiyar dam to avoid floods, there was no positive assurance from Tamil Nadu authorities for this request.
On the overall flood situation, the Kerala Chief Secretary said the deluge faced by the State of Kerala is unprecedented in its recent history. It has already surpassed the devastation caused by the 1924 flood, it is now considered the most intense flood to have hit the State in the last 100 years.
The death toll touched 373 and 32 people are missing.
The state has evacuated more than 12.5 lakh people to more than 3941 odd camps. 38 tonne Food materials along with medical supplies were air dropped to approximately 50,000 stranded people. The damage due to this deluge is approximately estimated at Rs. 19500
Crores.
Making this assertion in an affidavit in response to the petition filed by Russsel Joy, the Kerala Chief Secretary blamed Tamil Nadu for the sudden releases from the Mullaperiyar Dam, the third largest reservoir in the Periyar Basin. He said this forced Kerala to release more water from the Idukki reservoir, downstream of Mullaperiyar, which is one of the causes of this deluge.