The Hindu : Front Page : Mullaperiyar: Central intervention sought

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 14, 2007
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Mullaperiyar: Central intervention sought

To facilitate proper inspection of the dam in view of its deteriorating condition

Baby dam has deteriorated beyond repair
Office for new dam from November 19

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Minister for Water Resources N.K. Premachandran has demanded that the Centre intervene to facilitate proper inspection of the Mullaperiyar dam.

The Minister told the presspersons here on Tuesday that Tamil Nadu had not cooperated with Kerala in the inspection of the dam. However, joint monitoring and safety inspections were called for considering the deteriorating condition of the dam.

Mr. Premachandran said the dam, which was more than 110 years old, could not withstand an earthquake of magnitude between 3 and 5 on the Richter scale which was probable in the area. The baby dam had deteriorated beyond any strengthening measures.

He said the investigation office for the new dam proposed by the State government at Mullaperiyar would start functioning in Idukki district on November 19.

He said the case filed by Tamil Nadu against State’s dam safety legislation would come up before the Supreme Court next month for framing of issues. The government would present the safety of the dam as the prime issue. Though the court had earlier said that the dam was safe, it would re-agitate the issue before the Court.

Mr. Premachandran said that if the Tamil Nadu government was for technical transparency in the matter of safety, it should have cooperated with Kerala in inspections.

He said Tamil Nadu made an annual gain of Rs.750 crore from irrigation and power generation using water from Mullaperiyar. However, the rent received by Kerala from Tamil Nadu amounted to only Rs.10 lakh.

He said Kerala had a moral obligation to provide water from the Neyyar Irrigation Project to Tamil Nadu as the Vilavumkode taluk of Kanyakumari district was the command area of the project. The government had drawn up draft proposals for supplying water from Neyyar and communicated its willingness for talks on the agreement to Tamil Nadu. It would not be a water-sharing agreement but only an agreement for supply of water.

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