TN Water Resources Department inspects shutters of reservoirs

Chennai, Nov 14 Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department is conducting inspection of reservoirs in the state following the damage of the shutter at Parambikulam dam.

According to sources in the department, the government has directed the Water Resources Department to conduct inspection of all the shutters in the 90 reservoirs in the state.

Inspection of all the 90 reservoirs has been completed and of this 15 have been totally damaged and have to be replaced immediately, a senior officer said.

The water resources department is also conducting an inspection on the capacity of these reservoirs but with heavy rains lashing the catchment areas of most of these reservoirs, the inspection on the dams could not be completed in totality.

Notably, one of the three shutters in the Parambikulam dam in Thrissur, Kerala but maintained by Tamil Nadu was damaged and washed away, leading to sudden gushing of water in the Athirapally river on September 21.

After the shutter was washed away, 1,6000 cusecs of water were discharged towards the Athirapally river leading to rising water level in the river.

The damaged shutter will be replaced with a new one within ten days. A private contractor has been awarded the contract to replace the shutter at a cost of Rs 7.05 crore.

Senior DMK leader and Tamil Nadu water Work Minister S. Duraimurugan visited the Parambikulam dam site and announced that inspection of shutters would be conducted across all dams.