Chennai: The water storage capacity of the Mullaiperiyar dam will be increased to 142 feet from the existing 139.05 feet after 30 November, said Tamilnadu Water Minister Durai Murugan.
He also said that the government is hopeful to increase the height of the dam to 152 feet after reconstructing and strengthening the Baby dam.
Speaking to reporters after inspecting the Mullaiperiyar dam and Baby dam in Theni, Murugan said, ‘The current water level of Mullaperiyar dam is 139.05 feet which we are planning to increase to 142 feet after November 30. The water level has been maintained for the past 30 years at 139.05 feet.’
The Minister said the relationship between Tamilnadu and Kerala was good, and the row would be resolved amicably. He was accompanied by Ministers I Periasami, P Moorthy and R Sakkarapani, MLAs and officials.
Duraimurugan told reporters that Chief Minister M K Stalin and his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan had a special relationship and the issue would be sorted out soon.
He added: ‘The government is hopeful of increasing the height of the dam to 152 feet after the strengthening of the Baby dam. There are three trees near the Baby dam. The Kerala government is saying that the felling of these trees require the permission of the state forest department and the department is claiming that the Central Forest department needs to approve the chopping off of these trees. If these trees are chopped off, then we can construct the Baby dam. This may help us to increase the water level of Mullaperiyar dam to 152 feet.’
Durai Murugan said that Tamilnadu has been continuously drawing water through the Vaigai tunnel continuously drawing water through the Vaigai tunnel continuously to maintain the water level in the dam as per the rule curve.
Durai Murugan also said AIADMK leader O. Panneerselvam had no right to talk about the issue. ‘Neither he nor any other AIADMK Minister had ever visited the dam in the last 10 years. Now, they are faulting the functioning of the DMK government.’