THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the situation in Mullaperiyar remain tense, Kerala has come out against the Supreme Court-appointed supervisory panel on Mullaperiyar, pointing out that the panel chairman has been ignoring the state’s demands in addressing the safety concerns of people.
Kerala has also requested Central Water Commission’s urgent intervention in the issue. In a letter to the Central Water Commission, Kerala pointed out that supervisory panel chairman L A V Nathan has been ignoring the demands by the state regarding maintaining the water level.
In his letter, Water Resources secretary V J Kurien, Kerala’s representative in the panel, alleged that the panel chairman allowed Tamil Nadu to raise the water level even before bringing in clarity on the spillway shutters.
The panel did not take any action in ensuring that the spillway shutters are operational. Though Kerala pointed out that some of the spillway shutters are non-operational and needs maintenance, the panel did not take any action to address these requests.
According to reports, Kerala pointed out that even after the Central Water Commission expressed reservations regarding Tamil Nadu’s report on functioning of the spillway shutters, the panel chairman allowed Tamil Nadu to raise the water level. “The report by the Central Water Commission’s Hydrological division in this regard was crucial. The report mentioned about the safety of people and pointed out that opening shutters in an unscientific manner would affect the safety of those living in the downstream. But the panel chairman ignored the same, which is a major lapse,” sources pointed out.
Even after the water level increased at an alarming level, the supervisory panel chairman did not direct Tamil Nadu to take more water from the dam to maintain the water level. Not getting adequate warnings on time, has been creating major difficulties to the state in preparing for the situation, Kerala further said. Earlier also, Kerala had raised complaints against the panel chairman’s attitude.