Kerala government is wanting to construct a new dam at Mullaperiyar and so a study is being conducted by it, for which an objection has been brought out by Tamil Nadu opposition leaders who have asked the centre to interfere and stop the process which violates an earlier order given by Apex court.
This study was taken up by the Kerala government when the Ministry of Environment through its National Board for Wildlife had brought out state’s plan to assess the environmental impact for this new dam to be constructed. State of Kerala had also informed the centre that not much of the forest would be lost for the new dam. The board’s committee under the head of Prakash Javedekar had cleared this suggestion in early august in its meeting. S Ramados, PMK leader has condemned this act of Kerala as it will bring fear among many farmers and also jeopardise relationship between Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The order passed by Supreme Court in 2014 had given permission to Tamil Nadu government to increase the level of storage to 142 feet and later to 152 feet when they completed the maintenance works at the baby dam. The bench was headed by Justice R M Lodha who gave the order and said that there was no apprehension regarding the safety of the 100 year old dam.
Since there was a huge protest from Tamil Nadu when Kerala government made an attempt to conduct inspection of 15 places near Vellakadavu area and thus it abandoned the survey. The PMK leader further stated that Kerala government is making best use of the present incapable government of Tamil Nadu and so it is attempting to do its surveys again and as Tamil Nadu government is just keeping quite without doing anything to stop it. Ramodass also remembered the Madhurai and Theni district unrest which happened in 2011 thus leading to a law. Vaiko the MDMK leader has criticised Mr Narendra Modi’s government because it is supporting Kerala state regarding this matter. He stated that the Environment Ministry’s accent to do the study has completely violated the Apex court order. He also stressed that Kerala government should be stopped from making this study.
by Sushma Javare.
