Idukki: All roads yesterday appear to lead to Kerala’s Idukki reservoir that is brimming with water. The Idukki reservoir has three dams and the shutters of one of them, in all probability, would be opened, a senior official said.
If the shutters are indeed opened, it would be only the third time in the history of the reservoir that this would have happened, according to officials of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB). The shutters were opened on October 29, 1981 and October 11, 1992.
With Onam holidays ending today, there has been an unprecedented rush of people from districts like Kottayam, Ernakulam, Pathanamthitta and also from parts of Idukki to the areas near the dam site. The Idukki reservoir is impounded by three dams: Idukki arch dam, the Kulamavu dam and the Cheruthoni dam. Of the three, only the Cheruthoni dam has shutters.
K K Karuppankutty, chief engineer, Dam Safety, KSEB, said: “At present, the water level is at 2,401.37 feet, and when the water level touches 2,402.15 feet, the shutters will be opened.”
A special control room has been opened at the Kochi International Airport, as the water that begins flowing down the Cheruthoni dam could have an effect in and around the airport, even though it is located more than 100km away. IANS
