Kerala demands immediate safety review of Mullaperiyar Dam; TN raises objection

IDUKKI: The government of Kerala has demanded a safety review in the Mullaperiyar Dam as per the Supreme Court order. The demand was raised in the Mullaperiyar Supervisory Committee meeting. However, Tamil Nadu members said they would accept the demand, but only after the strengthening of the baby dam.

It was in 2011 that the expert team appointed by the Supreme Court last conducted a safety review of the dam. In 2018, the Supreme Court suggested another review after considering the plea from Kerala. However, the safety review has not been implemented yet due to Tamil Nadu’s noncooperation. Minding this delay the Kerala government took a strong stance in the latest Supervisory Committee meeting.

Kerala also stated in the meeting that all aspects like the efficiency of the equipment installed in the dam, movement and expansion of the dam should be checked. Meanwhile, members of Tamil Nadu reiterated the demand to cut trees to strengthen the baby dam. Tamil Nadu also demanded that the road from Vallakadam to the dam be tarred. However, in the inspection conducted by the committee, the road was deemed passable. The report of the inspection will be submitted to the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, Kerala informed the committee that the decision about cutting trees should be taken by the forest department.

Central Water Commission Chief Engineer Rakesh Kashyap is the chairman of the committee, which includes Irrigation Department Secretary Ashok Kumar Singh, Chief Engineer R Priyesh from Kerala, Tamil Nadu Public Works Department Secretary Sandeep Saxena, and Cauvery Cell Chairman R Subramanian as members. The supervisory committee members reached the dam and inspected the three shutters of the spillway along with the main dam and the baby dam.