Advocate General contradicts Kerala's dam view

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The Kerala Advocate- General, Mr K.T. Dandapani, told the High Court on Friday there was no correlation between the storage level and the safety of Mullaperiyar dam, knocking the bottom out of Kerala’s argument that higher storage imperiled the safety of the 116-year-old reservoir.

Dandapani, who also said it was partly hype, especially by the media, that created panic, later regretted and issued a denial towards the evening. But that was too late. Politicians of all hues bayed for his blood, including impeachment.

He rebutted the allegation that he had earlier appeared for TN Government, clarifying that his wife, Ms Sony, had accepted a TN brief but nthing further.

The controversial remarks came even as more MLAs joined in the mass fast at Ground Zero at Vallakadavu and AIADMK MPs protested with the Centre against Kerala’s “unscientific stance on the dam breach”.

An embarrassed Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy, in Delhi to meet the Prime Minister, Dr Manmhoan Singh, said that once back home he would examine the context of the AG’s stance and take action, if needed.

Mr Dandapani’s submissions came as the court considered petitions seeking its intervention in Mullaperiyar.

He said people panicked because of the hype, especially by the media.

But, the bench comprising acting Chief Justice, Ms Manjula Chellur, and the Justice, Mr P R Ramachandra Menon, pointed out that the media had merely done its duty in alerting the public.

Even if the dam collapsed, the gushing water could be contained by Idukki, Cheruthoni and Kulamavu dams. This was because its safety depended not on the water level but its age and recurrent tremors, Mr Dandapani said.

In seven hours, Mullaperiyar water would reach Idukki reservoir, he said. But petitioners’ counsel countered, saying Idukki would not withstand the pressure and water would reach the sea in 45 minutes.

The Opposition termed the AG statement the “great betrayal” by UDF Government. The Law Minister, Mr K M Mani, said the AG’s opinion was the Government’s.

Regretting the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s rejection of Kerala’s standpoint on the safety aspect of the dam, Mr Chandy said in his memorandum, “It is unfortunate that the Tamil Nadu CM has replied to my letter, on the same day, summarily rejecting our fears as unfounded, unreasonable, based on extraneous factors and not connected with ground realities.”

“A beginning can be made only if Tamil Nadu realizes that the danger arising out of this weak dam is real and not a figment of imagination. Any delay in taking action can result in huge loss of life and property,” he said.