Date:07/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/07/stories/2006090709990400.htm

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu all set to raise height of Periyar dam to 142 feet

S. Sundar

Engineers waiting for monsoon to intensify, water level to increase beyond 136 feet to bring down the shutters

10 shutters will be shut after a gap of 27 years
PWD wants TN police security at reservoir

Seismograph to be set up at dam site

MADURAI: The Tamil Nadu Public Works Department is all set to raise the height of the Periyar dam to 142 feet.

Engineers are waiting for the monsoon to intensify and the water level to increase beyond 136 feet to bring down the shutters. The level stood at 119.20 feet on Wednesday morning.

Chief Engineer, Water Resources Organisation, Madurai, R.V.S. Vijaykumar, said the department was keen on raising the water level following the July 27 Supreme Court verdict. "... All the 13 shutters are well-oiled and we are waiting for a significant inflow to bring them down," he told The Hindu . When that happens, all 10 shutters will be shut after a gap of 27 years. The Tamil Nadu Government has put up three more shutters to enhance safety.

"Deploy police personnel"

Following frequent visits of "outsiders" to the "high security areas" in the dam in recent times, the Chief Engineer has asked the State Government to deploy Tamil Nadu police personnel. The reservoir is guarded by few Kerala Police personnel.

"The dam gallery is a high-security zone. Only technocrats are allowed inside. But, 40 to 90 persons accompanying Ministers were allowed in," former Executive Engineer C. Suthanthira Amalraj, who worked at the dam for more than two years, said.

The PWD has also initiated steps to set up a seismograph at the Periyar reservoir. Ministers from Kerala had claimed that tremors were reported near the dam site on August 18 and it would endanger its stability.

No tremor

"No tremor was recorded in the region in August by the Indian Meteorological Department. To avoid such rumours we want to install a seismograph at the dam," Mr. Vijaykumar said.

The dam had recorded no variation in seepage at its gallery before or after August 18.

He pointed out that the PWD had used advanced techniques to strengthen the dam so that it could withstand an earthquake measuring 8 on the Richter scale.

False propaganda

The Chief Engineer denied Kerala's claim that a breach in the dam would inundate six districts. It was located in Idukki district and, on its downstream around 30 km away, was the Idukki reservoir.In the highly unlikely event of the dam breaching, not more than 2 lakh cusecs of water would be discharged.