The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday sought response of the state government on a PIL filed by a lawyer seeking a direction to the authorities to conduct a survey and feasibility study to drill a second tunnel at 50 feet at Mullaperiyar. So that the farmers of the southern districts of Tamil Nadu get benefits.
Justice R. Mahadevan and Justice J. A division bench of Satya Narayan Prasad sought the response of the state government on a petition filed by M. Sundarraj of Madurai district.
The petitioner said the Supreme Court had issued several directions relating to the Mullaperiyar issue and suggested conducting a survey and feasibility study for digging a second tunnel at 50 feet.
He argued that if this is implemented and another tunnel is dug at 50 feet, it will benefit the agriculturalists of the southern districts. The people of Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga districts will be benefitted and will get enough drinking water and enough water to irrigate agricultural areas.
However, neither the Tamil Nadu government nor the Kerala government took steps to implement it. As per Supreme Court directions, drilling of tunnel at 50 feet can be started after conducting survey, design and techno-economic feasibility study. As of now, there were no signs of Tamil Nadu having started the work, he said and sought a direction to the officials to conduct survey and feasibility study to drill a second tunnel at 50 feet in the Mullaperiyar dam.