For the second time, Kerala forest officials did not allow engineers of the Public Works Department to go to the Mullaperiyar dam on Monday for undertaking routine inspection and monitoring maintenance work.
The Kerala officials stopped Executive Engineer A. Soundaram, Sub-Divisional Officer Akbar Ali and Assistant Engineer Ramamuthy, and workers, at the entrance of the boat jetty, insisting that they be informed in advance of the number of officials visiting the dam every day. They also asked the engineers to produce their identity cards and sign in registers kept at different places.
They locked the gates of the jetty and told the engineers that they would not be allowed to board the boat. The engineers asked the officials to follow the guidelines drafted at the earlier meetings. “How do you expect us to follow the guidelines laid down by Kerala every day?” they said.
Official sources said the forest personnel asked the team to follow all guidelines, including the new ones.
After the talks between officials of the two States failed, the engineers returned to Theni in the afternoon.
On November 27, Kerala officials did not allow the same team to visit the dam, demanding that Tamil Nadu make a prior request for any visit.
The Madurai-based officials are on deputation to monitor maintenance work up in the dam.
The sources said forest officials were frequently harassing Tamil Nadu engineers at Thekkady even after they complied with all the conditions set by Kerala.
