Pinarayi Vijayan
Kozhikode: Amid the fears over the safety of Mullaperiyar dam, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that there is nothing to be scared about and also warned of legal action against those spreading such baseless rumours on dam’s safety to make people panic.
Malayalam movie actors, Prithviraj and Unni Mukundan, in a Facebook post demanded to decommission the dam and also shared concerns on its safety. The post was shared and read by billions across the state.
The chief minister has also said, “The state government still stick to the stand for constructing a new dam. There are certain differences in opinion with Tamil Nadu in this regard. Such disputes will be solved through discussion."
In the meantime, Kerala chief minister wrote to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin asking the latter to ensure that the maximum quantity of water is drawn from Mullaperiyar dam as the reservoir level may reach 142 ft once the torrential rains intensify.
He urged Stalin to release water from Mulla Periyar dam through the tunnel to Vaigal Dam and to gradually release water downstream.
The Chief Minister also requested to intimate the Kerala government about the opening of shutters at least 24 hours in advance.
Dam authorities in Kerala are taking cognizance of the situation arising out of the torrential rainfall. Shutters of several dams have been opened to prevent them from overflowing.
According to official estimates, heavy rains in the state have claimed the lives of 27 people. Of these, 14 deaths were reported in the Kottayam district, 10 in the Idukki district, and one each in Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, and Kozhikode districts.
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