Allow felling of trees to enable work on Mullaiperiyar dam, T.N. tells Kerala

Tamil Nadu Minister for Water Resources Duraimurugan wrote to his counterpart in Kerala on Thursday requesting that an order dated November 11, 2021 be revoked at the earliest and the permission issued for felling 15 trees essential for taking up strengthening works on Mullaiperiyar dam, as per the directions of the Supreme Court, be restored. Mr. Duraimurugan, in his letter, a copy of which was shared with the media, said the Kerala Water Resources and Forest Departments were delaying permission to move materials and machinery to the dam site for carrying out routine maintenance and repair works, which were to be carried out as per the guidelines of the Central Water Commission and in compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court. As for Kerala’s request to install seismograph and accelerograph at the dam site, recommended by the Central Water Commission, Mr. Duraimurugan said Tamil Nadu had taken steps to install them through National Geo-physical Research Institute, Hyderabad. “However, my officers have informed that Forest Department of Kerala is not permitting to convey materials for erecting necessary platform/ pillars for installing the seismograph,” he said and underlined that Tamil Nadu was taking the utmost care in maintaining the Mullaiperiyar dam well, considering the safety of the people of both States. Pointing out that Mullaiperiyar dam was vital for the farmers of Tamil Nadu living in five drought prone districts — Madurai, Dindigul, Theni, Sivagangai and Ramanathapuram — to meet drinking water and irrigation needs and for their livelihood, Mr. Duraimurugan said the farmers were quite sensitive to the availability of water from the dam. He urged Kerala to instruct the officers concerned to allow materials to be conveyed through forest road and Vallakkadavu dam site, repair the existing forest road and to cut the 15 trees.