Water level at the Peppara dam would be raised only in tune with the existing laws on tribal welfare, a press note issued here on Friday quoted Forest Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar as saying.
The Minister visited the Peppara dam site and the nearby tribal settlement area of Podiyakkala to learn how the tribal people would be affected when the water level was raised.
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had asked Mr. Ganesh Kumar to visit the area and submit a report on the issue.
His report, to be submitted in a week, would be a comprehensive package which would address all the problems of the tribal people, he said.
It is proposed to raise the water level at the dam by six metres.
This would not necessitate any new construction activities but would be effected by lowering some shutters, he added. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Raja Raja Varma, Managing Director of Kerala Water Authority Ashok Kumar Singh, and Forest Secretary Sajan Peter accompanied the Minister on his visit.
