Kerala floods: Idukki administration to meet on Monday to assess losses

IDUKKI: The district administration has called for a meeting on Monday to review the loss the district has incurred in flood-related incidents. Revenue minister E Chandrasekharan will preside over the meeting. Power minister M M Mani, MP Joice George, MLAs Roshy Augustine, P J Joseph, E S Bijimol and S Rajendaran will attend the meeting, said Idukki district collector Jeevan Babu K.
As many as 968 houses were totally damaged and 2,266 suffered partial damages in the rain and landslides in the district, said officials.
Meanwhile, the water level in Idukki reservoir came down to 2,398.70ft on Sunday compared to the 2,399.36ft on Saturday. The dam safety wing continues to release water from Idukki dam at 200 cum/sec apart from the 115 cum/sec water being released for power generation. The water level in Mullaperiyar dam has reached 138.30ft.
“We will continue to release water from Idukki dam till August 30. KSEB will conduct a high-level meeting on August 30, in which further decision on releasing water from the dam will be taken. The inflow to the reservoir has already decreased,” said KSEB executive engineer (dam safety) V S Balu.
The district administration and dam safety wing have made arrangements to resume the traffic on Cheruthoni-Kattappana route. In the inspection conducted by National Highway Authority of India officials it was found that Cheruthoni Bridge is still intact and ready for traffic.
“As per our primary inspection, the bridge has no damage. But the approach road and a link to the bridge are destroyed. Now, we plan to resume the traffic in part. The traffic will be resumed in full after the completion of the construction of approach roads and the maintenance of the bridge,” Rex Felix, assistant executive engineer (NH), Devikulam, said.
“A KSEB dam safety official will inspect the bridge on Monday. We hope to open the bridge for restricted traffic on Tuesday,” said MP Joice George. The water released from Mullaperiyar had destroyed many houses on the banks of Periyar River at Keerikkara and Chappath. Most of the natives were shifted to the relief camps before the shutters were opened.