Tamil Nadu

Water draining into Idukki dam

THENI: Over 2,000 cusecs of water has been draining into the Idukki dam through 13-vent spillway from Periyar dam for the past four days continuously as Public Works Department officials could not increase the storage level more than 136 feet, even as the Supreme Court directed the State Government to increase the storage level up to 142 feet.

Moreover, they could not even draw more water through the four giant pipes or the Iraichal Bridge as power generation is far below its optimum capacity of turbines in the power house at Lower Camp at Goodalur.

One of the four turbines has been completely paralysed for a long time.

Despite a steady inflow into the dam, water level has slumped at 137.5 feet from 138 feet, but still 1.5 two feet above permissible level, owing to automatic draining of huge quantum of water through the 13-vent spillway. Quantum of water drained through the spillway is 2,008 cusecs, approximately 1,150 cusecs less than the previous day drain of 3,165 cusecs.

Withdrawal from the dam is 2,050 cusecs only through the Iraichal Bridge and giant pipes.

Inflow has sharply increased to 3,770 cusecs from 3,447 cusecs on Tuesday.

Water level has slightly decreased in the Vaigai dam as the storage level stood at 66.4 feet.

However, discharge has been increased to 3,052 cusecs for irrigation in Madurai and Dindigul districts.

The inflow into the dam is 2,816 only.

Heavy discharge has reduced the level by 0.1 point. Storage in the dam is 4,447 mcft.

There is no rain in the district except Veerapandi and Vagai dam that registered 4 and 3 mm of rain respectively.

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