Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan inspected Mullaperiyar Dam on Friday in wake of concerns expressed by the Kerala government about its safety.
Speaking to mediapersons after inspecting the Mullaperiyar dam, Murugan said, "The current water level of Mullaperiyar dam is 139.05 feet which we are planning to increase to 142 feet after November 30. The water level has been maintained for the past 30 years at 139.05 feet."
He further said, "The government is hopeful of increasing the height of the dam to 152 feet after the strengthening of the Baby dam. There are three trees near the Baby dam. The Kerala government is saying that the felling of these trees require the permission of the state forest department and the department is claiming that the Central Forest department needs to approve the chopping off of these trees. If these trees are chopped off, then we can construct the Baby dam. This may help us to increase the water level of Mullaperiyar dam to 152 feet."
On October 28, the Supreme Court had directed that the maximum level in the Mullaperiyar dam should be 139.50 feet until November 10.
The Kerala government had said the increase in water level and its eventual release would risk flood and endanger the lives of lakhs of people in Kerala.
Meanwhile, the main opposition party in Tamil Nadu AIADMK had decided to stage a protest against the DMK government on November 9, demanding to raise the water level in the dam.On this, Murugan said, "Edappadi Palaniswami and O Paneerselvam should be the last person to speak on this. In the past 10 years, not a single minister visited the Mullaperiyar dam."
Calling Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan a great friend, Murugan said that the issue concerning the Mullaperiyar dam will be resolved during his tenure.
( With inputs from ANI )
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