Mullaperiyar Dam Kerala Always Agreed With Dam Pact

19 August 2013
Kottayam

James Wilson, expert member of Mullaperiyar Cell, Govt. of Kerala, says that Kerala had always taken a humanitarian view of giving water to the people and regions of Tamil Nadu under the umbrella of a valid agreement and never hesitated or withdrew from its commitment of sharing water with the neighbour state.

We cannot deny the historical facts depicted in his reports on this water dispute between Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It says “It is a fact that the survey and detailed investigation for Idukki Project was started in 1950s by the Central Water and Power Commission, well before the signing of supplemental agreements — one for renewal of the leased deed and other for permitting production of electricity from Mullaperiyar waters, on May 29, 1970. We could have refrained from signing the Mullaperiyar supplemental agreements in 1970, if Kerala had any intention of augmenting Idukki by Mullaperiyar waters.

Kerala does not need the contribution from Mullaperiyar for filling the Idukki reservoir. Actually Kerala permitted Tamil Nadu in 1956 to increase the capacity of tunnel, from 1,300 cusecs to 2,100 cusecs, which takes Mullaperiyar waters to Kambam Valley while the survey for Idukki was in progress. So naturally this increased capacity of the tunnel resulted in emptying the Mullaperiyar reservoir at a faster rate and reduced the spill to the Kerala side.

The Constitutional Bench of Supreme Court in its final hearing on the dispute between Kerala and Tamil Nadu has admitted the scientific facts presented by Kerala and observed that the Empowered Committee had denied natural justice to Kerala while preparing its final report.

Kerala did not fail to supply the entire drinking water requirements of Coimbatore Corporation from Siruvani dam, which is constructed, owned and maintained by Kerala, even when Tamil Nadu failed to supply the agreed quantity of water for irrigation as per PAP Agreement to Palakkad district.

Source– http://english.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/contentView.do?contentId=14795717&channelId=-1073865028&catId=-206121

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