Chennai, March 3 (BPNS)
Tamil Nadu Minister for Water Resources and senior leader of the DMK, S. Duraimurugan urged Kerala Water Resources Minister, Roshy Augustine to restore permission for felling 15 trees in Mullaperiyar dam site. The minister said that this was part of the directive of the Supreme Court of India to strengthen the dam.
In a letter to Roshy Augustine on Thursday, the Tamil Nadu minister asserted that the Kerala water resources and forest departments were denying permission to convey the materials and machinery to the dam site for carrying out routine maintenance works.
Duraimurugan in the letter pointed out that as per the guidelines of the Central Water Commission as well as in compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court dated February 27, 2006, and May 7,2014.
The Tamil Nadu minister said that the Kerala government must revoke its order dated November 11, 2021, at the earliest and restore the permission issued for the felling of 15 trees.
He said that the Kerala government has been requesting the installation of a seismograph and accelograph in the dam site which was also recommended by the Central Water Commission.
The Tamil Nadu senior leader said that while the machines are ready for installation through the National Geo Physical Research Institute, Hyderabad, the Forest department of Kerala has not permitted the transport of materials for installing the seismograph.
Duraimurugan wanted the Kerala minister to personally intervene in the matter and requested an urgent and positive response from Roshy Augustine.
He pointed out that Mullaperiyar is vital and important for the farmers in five drought-prone districts of Tamil Nadu, Madurai, Dindigul, Theni, Sivagangai, and Ramanathapuram for their drinking water needs and for their livelihood.
The Tamil Nadu minister also said that the people of these districts are highly sensitive to the availability of water from the Mullaperiyar dam and urged Kerala water resources minister to immediately act in an urgent manner to solve the issue.
