Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the Assembly that scaremongers were spreading rumours of an imminent threat to the Mullaperiyar dam on social media.
Mr. Vijayan said no such threat existed. There was no immediate cause for worry. The alarmist propaganda would do the State immense harm, and it was not based on any scientific fact. The police would identify and prosecute such purveyors of false news.
New dam
Kerala would continue to lobby for a new dam at Mullaperiyar. The Centre and some States were opposed to the proposal.
Kerala was in close coordination with Tamil Nadu to regulate water levels in Mullaperiyar. The Tamil Nadu authorities were highly empathetic to Kerala’s demands, and officials of both States worked in tandem to ensure water levels in the reservoir were well regulated.
In Assembly
Earlier, Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan had flagged the issue in the House. He said the social media was awash with rumours of the dam’s structural integrity. The State could not ignore people’s anxiety, and should take concrete steps to mitigate their fear.
