CUMBUM: A team of officials from TN, who had gone to plug the holes drilled in the Mullaiperiyar dam for testing its stability, was reportedly stopped by Kerala government officials and the police on Thursday.On the directions of the Supreme Court-appointed empowered committee on the Mullaiperiyar dam, various teams inspected the dam to ascertain its stability.During the inspection, nine holes of 150 feet, were drilled at various places, including the gallery and the baby dam, for taking samples of the lime surkhi-mortar. After the tests were completed, the committee presented its report to the Registrar of the Apex Court.Meanwhile, the TN government initiated steps to plug the holes and had allocated `85 lakh for carrying out the task. On Thursday, when a team from TN was about to begin the work, it was stopped by officials and police from Kerala.The Kerala team and Kerala police officials, did not allow them to proceed with the work though the TN officials handed over a copy of the interim orders of the SC to the effect that there was no bar on carrying out maintenance work on the dam.However, the Kerala officials reportedly told the TN team that the empowered committee should give the nod first to plug the holes as that was the one which granted permission for the drilling. The TN team argued with their Kerala counterparts that the holes should be plugged before the onset of monsoonEven after two hours of persuasion, the Kerala team did not budge and the TN team had to retreat without carrying out the work.The matter would be brought to the notice of the TN Chief Minister, the PWD Minister and higher officials, PWD sources said.
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