New Delhi: Kerala has informed the Supreme Court that Tamil Nadu is using the outdated gate operation schedule prepared in 1939.
Kerala filed an affidavit in the apex court stating that the absence of a new gate schedule greatly troubled the state during the floods.
Kerala has also informed the SC that an inspection by Sunil Jain, instrumentation director of Central Water Commission, revealed that 70 percent of the instruments were not functional.
Since 2014, Kerala had been demanding the supervision committee appointed by the apex court, to prepare a new gate operation schedule to ensure safety of the dam. Following this, the committee had demanded Tamil Nadu to prepare a new gate schedule and hand it over to Kerala. Kerala said that TN is yet to implement this directive.
Only if the gate operation schedule and the draft of rule curve is handed over can we voice our opinion in this regard, Kerala said. The state has demanded the committee to consider the safety of those residing below the dam. In the affidavit, Kerala has also demanded Tamil Nadu to provide complete details of the inflow to the dam as it would help in taking correct decisions.
Instead of reviewing the gate operation schedule along with the Hydrology department and the Central Water Commission, TN delayed the process stating that it did not receive data from the Mullakkodi weather centre. Gate operation schedule cannot be prepared based on the data from one centre alone. Kerala is setting up automatic rain mapping and weather forecasting systems in the Mullaperiyar area under the coordination of the Forest department and Electronics division of PWD, Kerala said in the affidavit.
Earthquake monitoring systems must be set up to evaluate the safety of the very old dam. For this, two seismo accelerographs must be set up immediately. The Central Water Commission must intervene in the matter, Kerala demanded.
Kerala filed the affidavit after three persons - Kothamangalam native Dr. Jo Joseph and Kothamangalam block panchayat members Sheela Krishnanakutty and Jessymol Jose filed a writ petition against the supervisory committee constituted by the constitution bench of the apex court, to evaluate the safety of Mullaperiyar dam.
The affidavit, filed by Irrigation department chief engineer Alex Varghese has also dismissed TN's allegations that Kerala was not providing electricity and approach road to Mullaperiyar dam.
The supreme court will consider the writ petition and the affidavit on Monday.
