Water Resources Minister P.J. Joseph has convened a meeting of senior officials at the Collectorate at Painavu on Monday morning in the wake of the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam reaching near to the maximum level of 142 ft.
The Minister is likely to visit the Mullaperiyar dam on Monday after the meeting, official sources said.
District Collector Ajit Patil and Periyar Tiger Reserve (PTR) Deputy Director (East) Sanjayan Kumar are likely to resume charges on Monday. They were on an official assignment in Australia. The Minister told media persons at Thodupuzha on Sunday that there was no alarming situation now following low inflow of water and large intake from the dam by Tamil Nadu on Sunday.
The meeting will chalk out the future plan of action if the spillway shutters of the dam are to be opened.
Water level in the Mullaperiyar dam touched 141.1 feet on Sunday. The inflow into the dam was 1,539 cubic feet per seconds (cusecs), while the outflow was over 900 cusecs. The volume of water in the dam was 207 Million Cubic Meter (MCM), as per the data provided by the Tamil Nadu Public Works Department.
Additional District Magistrate R. Mohanan Pillai said there was no need for panic. Even as the administration had issued first warning at 140 feet, there was no question of forced eviction of people to the 23 relief camps.
There are 120 families living in the sand bed area of the downstream of the dam. The administration would have to use force only if the people refused to evict.
The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) had been asked to replace faulty lamps, he said adding that power lines had been laid for providing temporary lighting facility in vulnerable areas. Meanwhile, the people in vulnerable areas remain reluctant to move to relief camps.
