Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's claim of Mullaperiyar dam currently not being in danger has come under heavy criticism.
Recently in the state Assembly, Vijayan had claimed that there is no immediate threat to the dam as being "portrayed by a section of people", and warned of strict legal action against the guilty.
He was responding to a question of his party colleague and former State Minister for Electricity M.M. Mani, who is a legislator from the Idukki district where the dam is located.
Soon after his statement, social media came alive and is witnessing heavy criticism for Kerala CM.
Here's what people are saying. Have a look.
Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been at loggerheads over the dam built under an 1886 accord between the then Maharaja of Travancore and the erstwhile British Raj. While it is located in Kerala, its waters serve Tamil Nadu.
Kerala is worried that a strong earthquake might damage the dam and cause widespread destruction. It is seeking a new dam and has offered to fund and build it, but Tamil Nadu is not agreeing.
According to experts, a quake in the area can lead to washing away of Idukki, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Ernakulam and parts of Thrissur.
Incidentally, the other day Vijayan wrote to his Tamil Nadu counterpart M.K. Stalin, urging his government to draw maximum quantities of water from the Mullaperiyar dam as the reservoir levels inched closer to the 142-foot mark, following heavy rains at the area.
Vijayan made the appeal as water levels in the dam crossed 137.05 feet on Sunday night.
On Tuesday, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan too wrote to Stalin seeking his support for the construction of a new dam at Mullaperiyar.
With inputs from IANS.
