A three-member committee constituted by the Centre to supervise raising of the water level of the Mullaperiyar dam to 142 ft and monitor its safety has decided to conduct its maiden dam inspection on July 17.
The committee headed L.A.V. Nathan, Chief Engineer, (Dam Safety Organisation), Central Water Commission, and members V.J. Kurian, Additional Chief Secretary (Water Resources), and M. Saikumar, Principal Secretary (Public Works), which met here on Tuesday, decided to conduct the inspection in line with the Supreme Court verdict that the situation should be monitored during the monsoon season.
Office to be set up at KumilyBriefing the media about the decisions of the meeting, Mr. Kurian said an office for the committee would be set up at Kumily next week.
The Supreme Court had directed that the State government should set up an office and the Centre had said that the office should be located at the dam site. The Chief Engineer, Irrigation Department, would take steps to set up the office.
Water levelAfter the first inspection, the committee would take a call on raising the water level to 142 ft.
The water level at the dam was only 112.08 ft as on Tuesday. This was due to the weak monsoon. The inflow was too low.
The State government struck to its stance that the dam was structurally, hydrologically, and seismically weak, he said.
