THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Adding to the confusion over the Mullaperiyar tree-felling order, the water resources department on Wednesday refuted reports that a joint meeting was held on November 1 to issue an order to cut trees downstream of the baby dam as demanded by Tamil Nadu.
Replying to a submission by Opposition Leader VD Satheesan in the assembly, Power Minister K Krishnankutty — on behalf of Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine — said the dam supervisory committee chairman had written to the additional chief secretary (water resources department) on September 3 saying that officials from Kerala and TN had conducted a joint inspection at the dam site as per the suggestion made by the supervisory committee on June 6 and identified 15 trees to be felled at the site.
In the meeting held on September 17, TN had requested the state to grant permission to cut 15 trees, instead of 23 sought earlier, to strengthen the baby dam. The letter said TN had submitted an application online to the Kerala forest department requesting the permission. The divisional deputy director, Periyar Tiger Reserve East, had also given a letter on October 30 favouring the cutting of trees.
“Considering the circumstances, and based on the details available, the principal chief conservator had issued an order permitting feling of trees on November 5, as per the information available with the water resources department,” the minister said.
Admitting that a joint delegation of the two states had visited the baby dam in June, Forest Minister A K Saseendran had told the assembly on Tuesday that an unofficial meeting was held on November 1 to issue an order based on the decisions taken at the September 17 meeting.
Krishnankutty’s reply created an uproar in the House with the Opposition alleging that the two ministers’ stances on the issue were contradictory. Speaking to reporters in Pala, Augustine backed additional chief secretary (water resources) T K Jose and said no joint meeting was held on November 1 with the participation of the water resources department.
Oppn welcomes move to revoke order
T’Puram: Opposition Leader V D Satheesan welcomed the LDF Government’s decision to revoke the forest department’s tree-felling order. However, he demanded that the conspiracy behind the fiat should be brought out. The government cancelled the controversial order in the cabinet meeting after it snowballed into a major controversy. Earlier, the government had only frozen the order.