THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : In an attempt to address the concerns of people in the downstream of Mullaperiyar in view of the increasing water level, the State Government is examining legal options to maintain the water level at 136 feet, said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.
Meanwhile, a high-level meeting under Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash reviewed the state’s preparedness to deal with an emergency situation in view of the increasing water level.
At the post-cabinet press briefing, the Chief Minister said that the increase in water level has come to the government’s notice, and that is the reason why the Chief Secretary visited the dam to review and assess the situation.
“We have requested the SC-appointed monitoring panel to maintain the water level at 136 ft. But they rejected the demand. Now we are looking into possible legal options,’’ Chandy said.
The State Government has already made up its mind to approach the Supreme Court seeking directives to maintain the water level at 136 ft considering the fact that one of the 13 spillway shutters of the dam is dysfunctional. The officials had held discussions with the Advocate-General in Kochi on Tuesday in this regard.
A final decision would be taken only after consultations with senior counsel Harish Salve in Delhi.