IDUKKI: Even as the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam crossed 139 feet, the Supreme Court-appointed High Power Supervisory Committee that visited the reservoir on Monday failed to address the fears and anxieties of the State.
The High Power Committee, headed by L A V Nathan, held that the rise in the amount of seepage water and the leakages were nothing new. Even in the meeting of the committee which was held later in the day, chairman L A V Nathan did not agree with the arguments raised by Kerala representative and Water Resources Department Secretary V J Kurian, and supported Tamil Nadu.
The only relief the State had during the committee visit was that it checked the efficiency of the spillway gate by raising it a little following a strong demand from the part of the State.
Kerala’s demand to keep the water level up to 140 feet taking into consideration of the safety of the people residing in the surrounding areas of the 120 year old dam was also rejected by Tamil Nadu. It held that the dam is safe and the water level would be kept 142 feet as directed by the Supreme Court. The neighbouring State also informed Kerala that it would not let the water level rise beyond 142 feet.
The High Power Committee accepted the claims of Tamil Nadu that the leakages detected were neither new nor dangerous.