The report filed by the five-member panel of jurists headed by Justice A S Anand, appointed by the Supreme Court on the Mullaperiyar issue, which is obviously against the interests of Kerala, has evoked mixed response.
Water Resources Minister P J Joseph said that the report on the Mullaperiyar dam was against the interests of Kerala and it could not be approved.
“How can a dam which is 116 years old be termed as safe,’’ he said and asserted that Kerala did not consider the report as a last word.
Joseph also criticised the stand of Justice K T Thomas, the representative of Kerala in the SC-appointed panel.
“It is sad that he has taken such a stance while framing the report,’’ he said.
Kerala will continue its fight for a new dam in Mullaperiyar, Joseph said.
Justice Thomas, on the other hand, asked how can one say that the report was against the state’s interests. He also said one cannot disagree with the findings of the panel, since facts have to be taken into account.
“A 12-member expert technical committee had conducted umpteen tests on the dam to evaluate its actual strength. Is it not a respite for the people of Kerala to know that a fool-proof expert committee has certified that dam as safe under various parameters. By describing a safe dam as unsafe and thereby creating a scare and fueling animosity between the people of two states may be useful if one is playing to the mass media,’’ he told ‘Express.’ “At the same time, I’ve made a strong dissenting note in the report against the majority recommendation to raise the water level in the dam from the current 136 ft to 142 feet. I’ve pointed out that the Idukki dam was constructed after Independence and as such, Kerala should get sufficient water from upstream areas, where Mullaperiyar is situated. Within the 136 ft level, Tamil Nadu was meeting its water needs for electricity and power generation in the past many years and, therefore, there is no need to raise the water level. My stand has nothing to do with dam safety,’’ Justice Thomas said.
“Last if not the least, the report clearly states that the scope of a new dam should be looked into,’’ he added.
Kerala should proceed to build a new dam and also find ways legally to get a market value for Mullaperiyar water used for power generation from Tamil Nadu, he said.
However, former Water Resources Minister N K Premachandran termed the SC empowered committee’s report as disappointing and unilateral.
Water Resources Minister P J Joseph said that the report on the Mullaperiyar dam was against the interests of Kerala and it could not be approved.
“How can a dam which is 116 years old be termed as safe,’’ he said and asserted that Kerala did not consider the report as a last word.
Joseph also criticised the stand of Justice K T Thomas, the representative of Kerala in the SC-appointed panel.
“It is sad that he has taken such a stance while framing the report,’’ he said.
Kerala will continue its fight for a new dam in Mullaperiyar, Joseph said.
Justice Thomas, on the other hand, asked how can one say that the report was against the state’s interests. He also said one cannot disagree with the findings of the panel, since facts have to be taken into account.
“A 12-member expert technical committee had conducted umpteen tests on the dam to evaluate its actual strength. Is it not a respite for the people of Kerala to know that a fool-proof expert committee has certified that dam as safe under various parameters. By describing a safe dam as unsafe and thereby creating a scare and fueling animosity between the people of two states may be useful if one is playing to the mass media,’’ he told ‘Express.’ “At the same time, I’ve made a strong dissenting note in the report against the majority recommendation to raise the water level in the dam from the current 136 ft to 142 feet. I’ve pointed out that the Idukki dam was constructed after Independence and as such, Kerala should get sufficient water from upstream areas, where Mullaperiyar is situated. Within the 136 ft level, Tamil Nadu was meeting its water needs for electricity and power generation in the past many years and, therefore, there is no need to raise the water level. My stand has nothing to do with dam safety,’’ Justice Thomas said.
“Last if not the least, the report clearly states that the scope of a new dam should be looked into,’’ he added.
Kerala should proceed to build a new dam and also find ways legally to get a market value for Mullaperiyar water used for power generation from Tamil Nadu, he said.
However, former Water Resources Minister N K Premachandran termed the SC empowered committee’s report as disappointing and unilateral.
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