The Kerala government has given a green signal to its minor irrigation and forest departments to permit transportation of cement by Tamil Nadu through its forest area to grout holes on the Mullaperiyar dam that continues to be a bone of contention between the two states.
The permission comes in the wake of farmers gearing up for a massive agitation headed by MDMK leader Vaiko at Cumbum on Saturday against Kerala government for its “obstructionist activities” in carrying out grouting works to close the holes.
Eight holes, two each on drainage gallery and baby dam and four on main dam, were drilled on the instructions of the Supreme Court-appointed empowered committee (EC) for assessing its structural stability.
The Tamil Nadu government, through its chief secretary Debendranath Sarangi, had written to Kerala government on May 15, 2012, “to instruct its officials not to obstruct the work of filling the holes drilled at the behest of empowered committee near the Mullaperiyar dam.”
Taking a month’s time to respond, Kerala chief secretary K. Jayakumar has sent a letter dated June 15 to Mr Sarangi informing that “Kerala has no objection in allowing the TN officials to complete plugging of boreholes drilled at the dam site.”
In the meantime, grouting as directed by EC was allowed to be undertaken by the Congress government in Kerala only after TN CM Jayalalithaa warned that her police would be deployed at the site to facilitate closure of holes.
However, on June 5, the Kerala forest officials denied entry to the cement-laden TN vehicle at Vallakadavu checkpost following which 500 bags of cement were stocked at a godown on the TN side of Kumily.
PWD expedited work with the available stock and closed four holes, two each on baby dam and main dam while the two holes on drainage gallery were grouted soon after EC’s visit. However, it ran out of stock on Thursday.