Most Kerala dams have capacity to flush out flood water: Report

Dams and barrages in Kerala are safe, according to an expert committee that looked into its operation and functions.

The committee to study the dams' operations and safety were appointed by the state government after the massive floods that ravaged the state in August. 

The committee, headed by dam expert Balu Iyer, submitted its report to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan Friday. 

The committee that studied all dams and barrages, except the Mullaperiyar reservoir, said they were all safe, a release from the office of the chief minister said. 

The committee said the existing spillways of the dams had the capacity to flush out the flood water. Only the dam at Peringalkuthu overflowed and more studies would be held on this, the committee said in its report. 

The committee also suggested various methods like raising dam height and removing the silt accumulated in dams to increase the reservoir capacity, the release added. The deluge had left a trail of destruction in the state. 

The opposition parties in the state had alleged that opening of shutters of several dams together resulted in the floods, a charge dismissed by the state government which maintained that unexpected heavy to extreme rainfall was the cause for the deluge.

(With inputs from agencies.)