Govt issues order freezing permission granted to TN to fee trees in Mullaperiyar, action against top officials

KOCHI: The state government has issued the order freezing permission granted to Tamil Nadu by Kerala Forest Department to fell trees for strengthening the baby dam at Mullaperiyar. The order was issued by the principal secretary, forest department, clarifying government's decision to postpone the permission for the time being without further action. Trees in the Periyar Tiger Reserve can be felled only with the permission of the union ministry of environment and forests and the central wildlife board. The principal secretary said the government order is temporarily postponed as it is not clear whether permission was obtained.

Meantime, the government will seek explanation on granting permission. The secretaries of the water resources and forest departments were directed to clarify the reason for convening the meet. It has been hinted that action will be taken against three top officials for issuing the order.

The state government froze the order yesterday after realizing that Kerala's claim for a new dam would be irrelevant. Along with this, the opposition and the BJP had raised strong protests.

While Kerala had argued in the Supreme Court that the dam should be decommissioned and a new dam should be built, the Kerala Forest Department gave permission to fell 15 trees as Tamil Nadu's argument that the baby dam should be strengthened was acceptable. The order was issued by the state forest chief principal conservator Bennichan Thomas. He informed Minister Saseendran that the order was issued as per the decision taken at the meeting convened by the water resources secretary. The Water Resources Department explained that the action was based on a court order.

Kerala argued in the Supreme Court that the baby dam had nothing to do with the safety of the main dam. Baby dams are usually inside the front of the main dam. The goal is to reduce the pressure by blocking water. The baby dam at Mullaperiyar is almost parallel to the main dam. It was built to block the flow of water to the main dam. This baby dam raises the water level and water pressure.

In 2014, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by R M Lodha, allowed the water level to rise to 142 feet and said the maximum storage capacity of 152 feet could be restored only after the baby dam was strengthened. This is the reason for giving permission.