KOCHI: The High Court on Wednesday held that the check dam co-owned by LDF MLA P V Anwar in Cheenkannippalli region of Kakkadampoyil hills, Nilambur, should be demolished before May 30. An expert committee had suggested demolishing the dam before the onset of monsoon as the area falls under medium hazard zone and four landslips and soil erosion had occurred there during the last monsoon.
The court issued the order on a petition filed CK Abdul Latheef, father in law of the MLA, challenging the decision to demolish the dam.
Issuing a warning to the MLA for delaying the demolition of the dam, the court told him not to force it to initiate action. “The deluge has taught us a hard lesson. We should not create another disaster,” the court said. When the petition came up for hearing, the state government informed that the parties have cut open the central portion of the check dam allowing water in the reservoir to flow downstream.
The vent has a bottom width of one metre and a top width of around six metres and an average height of 10 metres. As of now, the situation seems to be safe as almost all the water has flowed downstream.
However, in the event of heavy rain and subsequent huge flow from the hill area, the present opening will not be sufficient to ensure smooth flow.
Hence it is advisable to further widen the opening to enable the flood water to take the natural course without being stored in the reservoir, informed the government. The court observed that the order to demolish the dam should be implemented forthwith.