By Categorical Information Service

KOCHI: Tamil Nadu on Friday  approached the Supreme Court docket searching for permission to chop down bushes positioned within the instant downstream space of the newborn dam at Mullaperiyar. Counsel for TN cited the orders issued by the SC in 2006 and 2014, directing Kerala to facilitate the strengthening of the newborn dam.

Alleging that cancellation of the permission issued by forest division to chop down bushes on November 5 amounted to contempt of court docket, TN submitted that for the previous 16 years, Kerala has been stonewalling makes an attempt to strengthen the newborn dam.

Within the plea filed on Friday, TN sought three instructions to Kerala — restoration of the highway from Vallakadavu to the dam web site to facilitate transportation of building supplies, permission to chop down 15 bushes positioned within the instant downstream space of the newborn dam and putting in rain gauges in catchment space of the dam.

A 3-member ministerial group from Tamil Nadu, which visited Mullaperiyar dam on November 5, had declared that water stage in Mullaperiyar dam can be raised to 152 ft after strengthening the newborn dam. Kerala has been arguing earlier than the Supreme Court docket that elevating the water stage within the dam will improve the risk to individuals dwelling in downstream areas as two days of heavy rain can refill the dam. 

The dam has an enormous catchment space of 624 sq km, however the storage capability is simply 14 TMC. Based on Kerala the muse of the dam doesn’t have the energy to resist the Uplift stress at full reservoir stage.

Report sought on forest official’s suspension
The Ministry of Surroundings, Forests and Local weather Change has sought a report from Kerala chief secretary on the suspension of Chief Wildlife Warden Bennichen Thomas. In a November 24 letter, Inspector Normal of Forests A Okay Mohanthy mentioned the ministry got here to know in regards to the suspension of Bennichen from studies. Because the ministry is the cadre controlling authority, it ought to be knowledgeable in regards to the causes for putting an officer beneath suspension.

By Specific Information Service

IDUKKI: 5 of the seven opened shutters of Mullaperiyar dam have been closed on Thursday after water degree within the dam got here down as rain weakened within the catchment areas. The shutters had been opened on Monday evening. 

Water degree within the dam got here all the way down to 141.25ft by 4pm on Thursday. At current, two shutters, together with shutter V3, are open. If the rain strengthens, the closed shutters could be raised once more. Water degree within the Idukki reservoir at 9am on Thursday was 2,400.46ft towards the total reservoir degree of two,403ft.

By Categorical Information Service

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Courtroom on Monday agreed to listen to the Mullaperiyar case expeditiously for a closing settlement of all disputes and posted the case for listening to on December 10. Because the interim order directed Tamil Nadu to comply with the rule curve fastened by the Dam Supervisory Committee, will probably be capable of keep the water degree on the most permitted storage of 142 ft. 

Senior advocate Jaideep Gupta, representing Kerala, stated there was no want for emergency orders because the water degree is being monitored by the Supervisory Committee as per the directions of the court docket. He urged the court docket to contemplate the objections raised by Kerala concerning the rule curve fastened by the committee.

Senior advocate Shekhar Naphade who appeared for Tamil Nadu agreed that there was no want for fast intervention. Advocate Will Mathew, representing Suraksha Public Charitable Belief, sought termination of the lease settlement between the erstwhile Madras Presidency and Travancore Kingdom. He stated whereas making certain water to Tamil Nadu, the safety considerations of the folks of Kerala can’t be ignored.

On the plea of Periyar Safety Motion to share seepage information with Kerala, Tamil Nadu’s counsel knowledgeable the court docket that every one data are exchanged with Kerala on a weekly foundation.

By Specific Information Service

IDUKKI: As water stage in Mullaperiyar dam began to drop with scanty rainfall in catchment areas, the remaining one shutter which was saved open since November 18 was additionally lastly shut. As per the information given by the district administration, shutter V3 was closed on Monday after water stage within the dam got here right down to 141 ft. 

The water stage had surged to 141.10 ft on Saturday. Nonetheless with a lower in influx, the water stage began barely declining from Monday morning. The Supreme Court docket-appointed supervisory committee had directed the 2 states- Kerala and Tamil Nadu- to take care of the water stage within the dam at 138 ft until October 30 after which at 139.5 ft till November 11. 

Nonetheless the current rule curve (water stage to be maintained every day) being adopted by Tamil Nadu, which manages the dam, for Mullaperiyar dam is 142 ft.  Within the wake of influx declining within the dam, the  neighbouring state had lowered the quantity of water being discharged through tunnels to 467 cusecs, which was 2350 earlier. The influx of water recorded within the dam was similar as that of discharge, which is 467 cusecs. 

Heavy rain in Periyar and Thekkady areas upstream had led to  water stage in Mullaperiyar dam rising to 141 ft on Thursday (November 18) as in opposition to the permissible stage of 142 ft. To convey down the water stage, as many as 4 shutters of the dam had been opened in a phased method on Thursday. Amongst them, two shutters had been closed the identical day at night time and one shutter was closed on Sunday. Shutter V3 was lifted as much as a top of 10 cm to launch 132 cusecs of water. Nonetheless the shutter was closed at 8 am on Monday.  
The water stage within the Idukki dam stood at 2400.08 ft in opposition to the complete stage of  2403 ft.

By Specific Information Service

KOCHI: Alleging that the Mullaperiyar Supervisory Committee, which was fashioned by the Supreme Court docket to make sure security of the dam, has been lackadaisical in functioning, Dr Joe Joseph, the petitioner within the case, submitted an affidavit earlier than the courtroom urging to direct the panel to file a compliance report.

The case will come up for listening to within the SC on Monday. He urged the courtroom to problem directives to the committee to finalise the rule curve and gate operation schedule of the dam after giving due consideration to the objections raised by Kerala. 

He additionally urged the courtroom to problem a directive to the Central Water Fee to catalogue the devices within the dam and put together a complete instrumentation plan which needs to be carried out on the earliest. One other plea is to make sure the functioning of the supervisory committee on a day-to-day foundation with enough engineers and technical workers to observe the protected operation of the dam. The panel ought to independently accumulate information concerning seepage, instrumentation and geodetic survey and publish it periodically on the web site. 

The petitioner pressured the necessity for periodical inspection of the dam at the least as soon as in three months, along with pre-and post-monsoon inspections. The supervisory committee ought to publish the report on its web site. The supervisory committee ought to conduct an in depth security analysis of the dam instantly with the help of reputed skilled establishments. Dr Joe mentioned the final analysis was carried out 10 years in the past.

Spill from Mullaperiyar, Idukki dams elevated
Idukki: With the water stage within the dams inching near the higher rule curve stage, the spill from Mullaperiyar and Idukki dams have been elevated on Saturday morning to control the water stage. As water stage in Mullaperiyar dam reached 141.10 ft, two shutters have been opened to a peak of 30 cm releasing 22,000 litres of water per second. The water stage in Idukki dam stood at 2,399.98 ft at 8 pm on Saturday.

Cong to kind human chain at Mullaperiyar right now
T’Puram: The Congress state management has determined to kind a human chain at Mullaperiyar on Sunday urging the state authorities to discover a everlasting resolution to the dam problem. The human chain will stretch from Vandiperiyar to Vallardy. 

By Categorical Information Service

IDUKKI: Tamil Nadu has closed three of the 4 shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam after the water stage got here all the way down to 140.80ft on Friday morning. Nonetheless, shutter V3 might be saved open to a top of 10cm to launch 130 cusecs of water from the dam.

The neighbouring state had opened 4 of the 13 shutters of the dam on Thursday, after the water stage touched 141ft towards the permissible stage of 142ft, to let loose the excess water. Though the water stage declined to 140.80ft on Friday morning, it began rising once more by night on account of excessive influx and heavy rainfall within the catchment areas of the dam. The water stage recorded within the dam at 6pm on Friday was 140.90ft with an influx of 5,880 cusecs.

Remoted rain lashed totally different elements of Idukki on Friday as nicely. Tamil Nadu is prone to shut shutter V3 if the rain recedes and the water stage within the dam goes down.In the meantime, the water stage within the Idukki reservoir continued to remain on the 2,399.68ft even on Friday. Shutter quantity 3 of the Cheruthoni dam has been lifted to a top of 40cm to launch 40 cusecs of water from the dam.

2,399.68ft
Water stage within the Idukki reservoir on Friday 

Shutter V3
Shutter V3 of Mullaperiyar dam might be saved open to a top of 10cm to launch 130 cusecs of water

By Specific Information Service

IDUKKI: Water Sources Minister Roshy Augustine has mentioned that there was no want for any concern concerning the opening of Idukki and Mullaperiyar dam shutters. Talking to reporters on the DTPC visitor home in Vellapara, the minister mentioned that the federal government had taken the choice to open the shutters of the dams as a precaution earlier than the water degree reached the rule curve (water degree to be maintained every day on the dam). 

“The heavy downpour in catchment areas of the dams has elevated influx leading to rising water degree in Mullaperiyar  and Idukki reservoirs. The dam shutters have been opened within the wake of the rising ranges,” he mentioned  The minister mentioned all selections concerning the opening of dam shutters have been taken collectively by the district administration and the KSEB. Therefore there was no want for concern. 

By Specific Information Service

IDUKKI: With remoted heavy rainfall set to proceed over Idukki until Friday, the shutters of the Idukki and Mullaperiyar reservoirs had been opened on Thursday to let out surplus water.

This marked a uncommon occasion when the shutters of the reservoirs had been opened for greater than as soon as in a yr. That is the second time that the shutters of Mullaperiyar dam had been opened inside a yr whereas the shutters of Idukki dam had been opened thrice this season.

The general public works division of Tamil Nadu initially launched 772 cusecs (cubic toes per second) of water from Mullaperiyar dam by opening two (V3 and V4) of its 13 shutters at 8 am after the water stage within the dam touched 141 ft in opposition to the permissible stage of 142 ft at 6 am on Thursday.

By 10 am, the discharge was elevated to 1,544 cusecs along with the two,300 cusecs water launched through penstocks. In the meantime, the water stage recorded within the Idukki dam was 2399.44 ft with the storage remaining secure at 95 %.

Nonetheless, contemplating the potential for water stage within the dam surging additional when the discharged water from the Mullaperiyar dam reaches the Idukki reservoir, shutter quantity 3 of Cheruthony dam was lifted as much as a top of 40 cm at 10 am to launch 40 cumecs of water.

Influx doubles

Owing to the night-long heavy rain within the catchment areas of each the dams, the influx had doubled on Wednesday evening. Whereas Idukki recorded 36.8 mm rainfall, the catchment areas of Mullaperiyar dam – Periyar and Thekkady – recorded 15.4 mm and 19.6 mm rainfall respectively.

The influx of water into Mullaperiyar had doubled 6,050-metre cusecs, which was solely 2,300 cusecs until Wednesday night. The influx of water into the Idukki reservoir on  Thursday was 16.147 million cubic metres.

“The Idukki reservoir is already at 95% of its capability, and surplus water needed to be set free. A flood warning has been issued in areas downstream of the dam
and alongside banks of river Periyar,” stated an official.

The shutters of Idukki dam had been first opened on October 19 after water stage within the dam crossed 2,398 ft. The shutters had been closed afterward October 27 when the water stage got here right down to 2,397 ft. Nonetheless, because of heavy rainfall within the catchment areas and the water stage surging above the pink alert stage of two,399 ft, one shutter of the dam was opened once more on Sunday (November 14). After holding it opened for 2 days, the shutters had been closed on Tuesday at evening.

Though shutters of Mullaperiyar dam had been additionally opened similar time on October 29, Tamil Nadu closed the dam shutters on November 6. 

By Categorical Information Service

IDUKKI: The water degree within the Mullaperiyar dam has been rising steadily over the previous couple of days as a result of incessant rain lashing the catchment areas for the previous few days. Whereas the utmost water degree allowed is 142 toes, the reservoir had water as much as 140.35ft at 4pm on Monday.

Tamil Nadu elevated the quantity of water being discharged from the dam by way of tunnels on Monday within the wake of excessive influx. Whereas the influx was 2,300 cusecs until 5pm, Tamil Nadu has been withdrawing an equal quantity of water from the dam to maintain the water degree secure. Until Sunday, Tamil Nadu had been withdrawing solely 556 cusecs of water from the dam as a result of excessive water degree within the Vagai dam, the place the neighbouring state shops the water discharged  from Mullaperiyar dam. 

In accordance with the order of the Central Water Fee, Tamil Nadu, which is in command of the dam, can preserve a water degree of 142ft and is more likely to increase the shutters provided that the extent touches this mark. Primarily based on the protocol to launch water, the neighbouring state on Sunday issued the primary warning after the water degree within the dam reached 140ft. In the meantime, the second warning can be issued at 141ft and when the extent reaches 142ft, shutters of the dam could be lifted. 

If Tamil Nadu opens the shutters, will probably be the second time inside a yr.  In the meantime, Kerala State Electrical energy Board (KSEB) on Monday mentioned that it was releasing 0.155 million cubic metres (MCM) of water from Idukki reservoir. In case the rain subsides, the quantity could be lowered or the spillway closed, it added. 

The shutters of Cheruthoni dam had been additionally opened for the second time this yr on Sunday after the water degree crossed the pink alert degree of two,399ft. The shutters had been final opened on October 19 after the water degree crossed the orange alert degree of two,398 ft. The water degree recorded in Idukki dam on Monday was 2,399.16 ft in opposition to the complete reservoir degree of two,403 ft.

Mullaperiyar dam was in-built 1895 on the Periyar river in Idukki district of Kerala.

A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and C T Ravikumar noticed that there shouldn’t be any adversarial method within the matter and it will look into the problems after which take a name.

“You need to recognize that this isn’t a one-time consideration matter. It’s a steady supervision matter,” the bench instructed senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, who was showing for Tamil Nadu.

The difficulty of seepage knowledge cropped up when an advocate, showing for one of many petitioners, mentioned that the apex courtroom should look into the main points of those knowledge.

Naphade instructed the bench that every one the info and particulars have been there earlier than the supervisory committee which has thought of them every now and then.

“It doesn’t matter. You retain it prepared for our perusal, if required,” the bench instructed the senior advocate.

Naphade mentioned Tamil Nadu will probably be prepared with all the info for the perusal of the courtroom.

“Our solely problem is that your lordships will discover that petitions after petitions are being filed on this courtroom solely to maintain us harassing,” he mentioned, including, “That is another try to maintain the pot boiling.”

He mentioned that every one the problems have been thought of by the supervisory committee.

“If there’s some evolving state of affairs, the way it has been addressed or how will probably be addressed, are issues which will probably be seemed into,” the bench noticed.

“If there’s some enter obtainable, we’ll take a look at it after which we’ll proceed,” the courtroom mentioned, including, “In the end, we’ll go by the knowledgeable committee opinion.”

Naphade mentioned the state of Tamil Nadu was not taking something adversarial within the matter.

“That is a part of marketing campaign in social media. That is nothing else. With a way of accountability, I’m saying this,” he mentioned.

The counsel showing for the petitioner, who has raised points together with on seepage knowledge, mentioned the matter pertains to lives and properties of about 50 lakh individuals and whereas 5 districts of Tamil Nadu want water, 5 districts of Kerala want safety.

On the outset, the counsel showing for Kerala referred to the apex courtroom’s October 28 order and mentioned the state had filed an affidavit on November 8.

He mentioned the state of Tamil Nadu has filed its response on Friday.

“I’ve requested the officers to reply and provides directions in 24 hours as a result of there’s some cyclonic formation there,” the counsel showing for Kerala mentioned and requested the courtroom to take up the matter subsequent Monday.

The bench then posted the matter for listening to on November 22.

On October 28, the apex courtroom had mentioned that Tamil Nadu and Kerala would abide by water degree notified by the knowledgeable committee.

The highest courtroom mentioned through the listening to on Saturday that the interim association would proceed.

The Kerala authorities had just lately instructed the apex courtroom that “no quantity of rejuvenation” can perpetuate the dam and there’s a restrict to the variety of years one can maintain dams in service by way of upkeep and strengthening measurers.

It had mentioned the one everlasting answer for eradicating the “everlasting menace owing to the security considerations” of the dam and for safeguarding the security of lakhs of individuals residing within the downstream of Mullaperiyar dam is to construct a brand new dam within the downstream reaches of the prevailing dam.

In an affidavit filed earlier than the apex courtroom, the Kerala authorities had urged that the proposal to repair the higher rule degree of Mullaperiyar dam at 142 toes on September 20 as formulated by Tamil Nadu could also be averted.

In its response to the affidavit filed by Kerala, the state of Tamil Nadu has mentioned that “repeated assertion” of Kerala and petitioners from there within the pleas filed from time-to-time search decommissioning of the prevailing dam and building of a brand new dam, which is “wholly impermissible” within the gentle of the apex courtroom verdict on the security of dam.

“The dam has been discovered to be hydrologically, structurally and seismically secure,” Tamil Nadu has mentioned.

On October 25, the apex courtroom had mentioned that the supervisory committee ought to take a “agency choice” on the utmost water degree to be maintained within the dam.