KOCHI: The amicus curiae appointed by the Kerala High Court in flood cases on Wednesday filed a report stating that the high reservoir storage and sudden release of water resulted in worsening the floods in the state in August last year.
The report pointed out that the statements filed by the state government, KSEB and DSA were silent about the existence or operation of dams in Kerala in accordance with dam specific rule curves. Even the CWC report had not mentioned about the compliance of rule curves and was silent as to whether the dams had operated as per standard rule curves during floods.
The report also said that no proper follow-up action and effective precautionary steps, especially for evacuating people and accommodating them in safe locations, were taken after issuance of the red alert.
According to the report, none of the 79 dams in Kerala were operated or used for the purpose of flood control or moderation. Dams in Kerala had not maintained effective flood control zone and the flood cushion as per the directive of BIS, O and M manual and RTIOR.
The report also suggested a more detailed inquiry on the Kerala floods by an independent expert inquiry committee headed by a former judge of a superior court and preferably consisting of a reputed hydrologist, experts in dam management and engineers.
The petition filed by Metro Man E Sreedharan and others were pending before the court. Sreedharan submitted that the mid-August deluge which claimed more than 470 lives and horrendous damage was indeed a manmade disaster.
The petition stated that he had approached the government citing the need for a comprehensive technical study of the reasons for the flood happened in August last year. Even three months after sending the letter to the Chief Minister and the Vice Chairman, Kerala Planning Board, no action has been taken. This inaction from the government was due to the fear in the minds of the authorities that their omissions and commissions would be exposed and individuals and the government itself would be held responsible for the tragedy.