No request for new dam survey: MoEF

KOCHI: In what could be a setback for Kerala’s efforts to build a new dam at Mullaiperiyar, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has come out saying that the state hasn’t sought clearance for initiating survey for a new dam. However, categorically denying the statement, Kerala officials said the clearance had already been obtained and for the construction it is awaited.At a time when the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the new dam is under consideration by the Empowered Panel, the MoEF’s revelation could backfire.Earlier there were reports that the MoEF, during the tenure of Jairam Ramesh as environment minister, has given clearance for survey for a dam. Now the MoEF has revealed that they have not even received a request from Kerala in this regard. “The Ministry has not received any request from the Kerala government for initiating a survey of dam for clearance near Mullaiperiyar dam in Idukki district,” said Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jayanthi Natarajan in an official communication to K N Balagopal, MP, on Tuesday.“The communication by the minister was startling, as we were under the impression that already a preliminary clearance was received for the survey when Ramesh was the minister. Now we need to crosscheck this information with the state government and find out the status of the clearance,” Balagopal old Express. Meanwhile, irrigation officials said that now they are awaiting forest clearance for construction of the new dam. “How can we conduct the survey without getting forest clearance? We prepared the DPR only after obtaining the clearance. We have even applied for environmental clearance for the new dam in 2010. Then it was rejected citing the need for carrying out an EIA. Though KFRI (Kerala Forest Research Institute) was entrusted with the task, they were not able to accomplish the task. Now we have invited empanelled agencies to carry out the EIA. The information in this regard has already been submitted to the state government,” said irrigation chief engineer P Lathika.