The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : State defends studies on Mullaperiyar dam

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Thursday, Mar 22, 2007
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

State defends studies on Mullaperiyar dam

Special Correspondent

Says data to be produced before court

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Water Resources Minister N.K. Premachandran said here on Wednesday that there was nothing improper or irregular in the State holding studies on various aspects of the Mullaperiyar dam.

The Minister told journalists that the studies were being conducted for the Government to submit a detailed statement in the case filed by Tamil Nadu challenging the Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation (Amendment) Act. It would not amount to contempt of court as being argued by some leaders in Tamil Nadu. Rather, it was to assist the court.

Mr. Premachandran said a number of studies on Mullaperiyar were under way. Besides the three-member committee studying the environmental impact of raising the reservoir level, other experts were studying the issues of probable maximum flood, impact of possible earthquakes in the region and possible consequences of a dam failure including inundation studies. Another team was preparing a project for building a new dam to replace the existing dam.

The case would come up before the Supreme Court on April 5. The State would have to substantiate its case before the Court by citing the results of the studies. None could say that such studies should not be conducted.

He said an expert committee constituted by the Government was working on the measures to be taken by the State on the Cauvery Tribunal Award.

The State had time till May 5 to seek a review. Counsel Rajeev Dhavan, who had earlier appeared for the Government before the Tribunal, was likely to be entrusted with the conduct of the case, the Minister said.

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