Cooperate, Cauvery cell chief tells Kerala
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The chairman of the Cauvery technical cell (CTC), Tamil Nadu, Mr R. Subramanian, has written to the chairman of Mullaperiyar cell in Kerala, Mr Parameswaran Nair, seeking cooperation and urging him to prevent his state irrigation and forest officials from obstructing the ongoing hole-plugging works at the dam.
The letter follows ‘indirect’ obstruction of work at the dam by Kerala forest officials who prevented TN trucks carrying cement to the dam site to plug the holes dug up to a depth ranging between 130 and 180 feet to study its structural safety.
Senior TN water resource organisation (WRO) engineers camping at Mullaperiyar said the Kerala forest officials stopped the trucks saying lamely that the consignment was in excess of the requirement. Two large and small holes are to be filed yet, the officials pointed out, adding that they were continuing the work with the available cement.
WRO officials said they have plugged two holes and are continuing with the available cement. Though the cement requirement for each hole varies, they have not transported more than the required quantum, the officials asserted. “It is high time the TN government intervened and facilitated transportation of the required cement immediately.”
Another senior WRO official, who confirmed the letter, told Deccan Chronicle, “There is no justification for their claim. Their real contention is concrete pressure grouting. Kerala forest officials are working at the behest of their irrigation officials.”
Kerala has, in fact, agreed to the concrete pressure grouting to plug the holes at Mullaperiyar. Seeking anonymity, informed WRO officials told Deccan Chronicle that the CTC, in his latest letter, has reminded Kerala that it had earlier agreed to the pressure grouting.
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