Mullaperiyar: Jacob flays formation of expert committee

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MAY 20. The former Irrigation Minister, Mr. T. M. Jacob, said here on Saturday that the decision to allow a joint expert committee to study the condition of Mullaperiyar dam would harm the State.

The State's stand was that the dam was not safe. It was demanding that the water level should be reduced from 136 feet to 120 feet. Hence, Kerala should have opposed the formation of a committee with the objective of raising the reservoir level, Mr. Jacob said.

If the Committee reports the dam to be safe, Kerala would be forced to allow the raising of the reservoir level. This would be a threat to the Idukki, Kottayam and Ernakulam districts and would lead to destruction of many hectares of forests belonging to Kerala. The State Government had failed to raise these issues at the talks owing to its ineptness. Moreover, the State had failed to raise the breach of several provisions of the agreement repeatedly by Tamil Nadu. This was when the agreement itself was invalid. It also did not demand the revision of the lease rents, though a revision was due. Further, it could not expose Tamil Nadu's machinations in respect of the Parambikulam Aliyar agreement.

He demanded that the State Government should show the courage to take the stand that the State had no excess water to share and protect its resources.

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Section  : Southern States
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