Differences over technology adopted, says Public Works Department official
Kerala officials on Tuesday prevented the transporting of 200 cement bags to the Periyar dam site by the Tamil Nadu Public Works Department for closing six major holes drilled on the dam, Tamil Nadu PWD sources said.
Though the work on closing the second hole has not been affected, cement stock at the reservoir will not be adequate to close all the six holes – five on the main dam and one on the baby dam – the sources said.
“The work to fill the hole drilled on the baby dam is progressing,” a PWD official said. The PWD had estimated that it would need 2,400 bags of cement for the work. It had got permission from Kerala for transporting 1,000 bags of cement. Initially, 500 bags were sent.
“When the contractor was transporting another 200 bags, the vehicle was stopped at the Forest Department check-post at Vallakadu,” the official said.
The Tamil Nadu PWD is adopting pressure-grouting technology to close the holes using machinery, but Kerala officials want them to be filled with concrete – mix of cement and gravel, the official said.
“Their contention is that we are trying to strengthen the structure by using pressure-grouting technology, claiming that the Supreme Court has ordered status quo on the dam. They feel applying pressure will make the cement mix pass through minor gaps in the structure and fill them too. But, pressure grouting is what is adopted in all dams the world over.”
The work will have to be stopped if more cement bags are not allowed to the dam site. The issue has been taken up with higher officials in the Tamil Nadu Government, the official said.
The work, which was initially stalled, was allowed by Kerala after Chief Minister Jayalalithaa complained about the “recalcitrant attitude” of Kerala and warned that Tamil Nadu Police would be deployed at the dam site. She had stressed that it was necessary to close the holes before the onset of monsoon to protect the dam's structural stability.
The empowered committee constituted by the Supreme Court had directed the drilling of holes for carrying out tests to study the dam's structural stability.
PWD Chief Engineer (Madurai Region) M. Sampath Kumar and Superintending Engineer (Periyar Vaigai Basin Circle) S. Mohanasundaram are camping at the site.
Staff Reporter adds from Namakkal:
Work on plugging the holes was not affected on Wednesday as grouting continued and pressure filling was done using the available stock of cement,” said S. Saravanan, managing director of a Tiruchengode-based firm that has taken up the work.
He was responding to reports about Kerala officials stopping the cement truck. “It was stopped on the forest route from where it will take two to three hours to reach the dam site. It was taken back to Kumili.”
Kerala is doing all obstructionist tactics with this Mullaperiyar issue. It is high time Central Government and Supreme Court to issue warning to Kerala without mincing words. Despite all the concern expressed by Kerala regarding the safety of the dam it itself is doing everything possible to see the dam collapse. Otherwise why it should object to modern methods of filling the holes? Its aim is to see that the dam bursts and build a new dam. There are two advantages then. Once it bursts it can say that it was telling it all these while that the dam is not safe. The second it can build its own dam which is what it wants. Centre should dismiss the Kerala Government goes on with these tactics.
No wonder China is light years ahead of India in infra structure, economy and military. Apart from scams and corruptions We fritter away our energy in pettifogging and internecine squabbling and no one has a patriotic approach.
If Kerala interest is really the safety of their people they should allow TN to do the repair work.
Kerala's (Political) intentions are clear, they do not want the dam to be strengthened. What is wrong if the dam is stronger than what it is now. Sick of this cheap politics.
It is very difficult to believe that KL which a neighbor of TN having shared interests in the welfare of TN is adopting this attitude towards TN. KL congress sees this as a perfect opportunity to consolidate the votes of Keralites and establish itself in KL. All these are being done to divert the people of KL from petrol price hike and other things. Any damage to the dam's superstructure could easily trigger a violent backlash against the people of both the states. It is very depressing to see that ManMohan singh is least bothered about any of these and is not trying to diffuse the situation.
If the Kerala Govt is really worried about protecting Idukki, why they are opposed to this ?
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