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Kerala boycotts panel inspecting Mullaperiyar Dam
Mullaperiyar, December 24, 2011
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Officials of the Kerala Government today boycotted the Empowered Panel, which is inspecting the Mullaperiyar Dam, alleging that the panel was not hearing Kerala's grievances.
The officials alleged that the members of the Supreme Court-appointed panel, C D Thatte and D K Mehta, were supporting Tamil Nadu and not hearing Kerala's views on the controversial dam issue, sources said.
The panel members visited Idukki and Cheruthoni dams yesterday and they were assisted by technical experts from Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
The Kerala officials boycotted the panel over differences with them on test locations.
The difference of opinion began with the locations marked for the non-destructive sonic test, sources added.
The panel members also gave instructions on various repair works and instructed that status quo should be maintained as directed by the court, Kerala officials alleged.
The Kerala officials also alleged that Tamil Nadu had conducted sonic testing at three locations only in a single block in the middle of the dam as against the direction to mark locations covering three different blocks "on either side of the dam and the middle".
A large media contingent from both the States was present at Mullaperiyar. The visit comes in the wake of widespread rumours expressed over the safety of the dam.
NNN
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