Kerala government axes Mullaperiyar dam tree felling order, suspends official who passed it

The Kerala government on Wednesday decided to revoke the controversial order permitting Tamil Nadu to cut 15 trees near the Mullaperiyar dam, which is located at Idukki in Kerala and managed by Tamil Nadu.

A senior official of the forest department who issued the order was also placed under suspension.

Following allegations that the order was against Kerala’s interest, the state government had earlier decided to keep the order in abeyance.

The Cabinet meeting on Wednesday decided to revoke the order citing that the order allowing Tamil Nadu to fell the trees was issued without obtaining mandatory clearances from the centre for cutting trees.

Also Read | Kerala Opposition demands probe into order allowing TN to cut trees at Mullaperiyar dam

Also, the officials did not bring the matter concerning inter-state relationship to the government’s notice. Hence it was being revoked, the Chief Minister’s office informed.

Principal chief conservator of forest Bennychan Thomas, who issued the order, was also placed under suspension.

Tamil Nadu had sought permission to cut the trees in order to strengthen the baby dam attached to the Mullaperiyar dam. Tamil Nadu government recently stated that once the baby dam was strengthened the water level of Mullaperiyar dam could be raised further.

But Kerala was opposing the raising of water level of Mullaperiyar dam expressing safety concerns over the century-old dam and was demanding construction of a new dam. For this reason, the order issued by Kerala forest department allowing Tamil Nadu to cut the trees had triggered a row in Kerala.

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