THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Disproving the state government’s claim that it was clueless about the move to strengthen the baby dam at Mullaperiyar, an official communication from the dam supervisory committee has revealed that forest officials from Kerala and Tamil Nadu held a joint inspection at the site on June 11.
The letter, dated September 3, sent by Gulshan Raj, chairman of the supervisory committee on Mullaperiyar dam, to water resources department additional chief secretary T K Jose says the joint team had identified the trees to be cut to facilitate the dam strengthening works.
The letter says the 14th meeting of the supervisory committee had discussed the plan for strengthening works, after which the joint inspection was carried out.
Forest Minister A K Saseendran, while freezing the order issued by the chief wildlife warden to cut down 15 trees downstream Mullaperiyar dam, had said the decision was taken at the level of officials and ministers were not aware of the same.
When the issue rocked the state assembly on Monday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan observed a studied silence.
Adding to the worries of the state government, the Union government wrote another letter on Monday urging the state to expedite steps to strengthen the baby dam.
The letter by Sanjay Awasthi, joint secretary, Union water resources ministry, to T K Jose states that the state government should strengthen the baby dam and earthen dam and also initiate repair works on the approach ghat road as proposed by the Tamil Nadu government.
Saseendran to correct reply, seeks speaker’s nod
The letter mentions the SC hearing on the issue and necessary interim orders issued to authorities concerned and the supervisory committee, so as to take appropriate decisions on the water level to be maintained in Mullaperiyar dam.
The crucial move from the Centre came a day after the state government initiated facesaving measures to freeze the order allowing felling of 15 trees.
Following the Supreme Court directive, a meeting of the supervisory committee was held on October 26, through videoconferencing, to address the emergent issues of rising water levels.
It is learnt that strengthening of the dam was also discussed during the meeting.
In his letter dated September 3, Gulshan Raj also directed TN to inform the Periyar Tiger Reserve deputy director on the 15 trees that have to be cut to strengthen Baby Dam.
The letter also states that a proposal to obtain the clearance from the Kerala forest department has been submitted online.
It concludes by saying that necessary directions have been issued to the forest department for expediting the permission for felling of the trees.
With documents proving his earlier statement in the assembly wrong, Saseendran on Tuesday submitted a request to the speaker to table a corrected version of the reply he gave to the notice seeking leave for adjournment on the issue on Monday.
The move is to save himself from the breach of privilege charge he will have to face for misleading the house.
Minister wants to correct reply, seeks Speaker’s nod
With documents proving his earlier statement in the assembly wrong, Forest Minister A K Saseendran on Tuesday submi-tted a request to the Speaker to table a corrected version of the reply he gave to the notice seeking leave for adjournment on the issue on Monday.