Speaking to reporters here on Monday, he said there was no need to worry.
File Picture of Mullaiperiyar dam. (Photo: PTI)
Kottayam: Downplaying safety concerns after the water levels of Mullaperiyar dam reached above 141 feet, Kerala’s nominee to the high power committee, Justice K.T. Thomas, on Monday, reiterated his stand that the century-old structure was safe.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday, he said there was no need to worry. “Initially, I was also apprehensive. But after studying in detail about the dam, I found it safe. Maintenance works were conducted in at least three stages to ensure its safety. The dam is very safe considering the condition of the other dams in the country,” he maintained.
“Kerala government spent Rs 7.75 crore to pay the lawyers to convince the Supreme Court that the dam was unsafe, but not even one of the 11 judges who heard this matter at different times in SC were convinced.”
He alleged that the state never bothered to check the report submitted by high power committee.
TN closes four shutters of dam
Tamil Nadu closed all the four shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam that it opened on Sunday morning after the water level came down to 141.5 feet Monday afternoon.
The water level had reached 141.7 feet when it opened the shutters at 4 am. It closed two of them at 7 am and others in the afternoon as the catchment area received no rains on Monday.
The current inflow into the dam is 3050 cubic feet per second, whereas Tamil Nadu is taking 2000 cubic feet of water per second, said P.S. Varghese, deputy Tahsildar in charge of the dam.
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( Source : deccan chronicle )
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