Kerala government is clearly upset after Centre removed its representative,T.K. Sivarajan,from Comprehensive Dam Safety Evaluation Committee (CDSEC) which is looking into safety of Mullaperiyar dam .
Water Resources Minister Mons Joseph said Kerala came to know about this through letter,and that too without prior consultation . That is exactly where anger is coming from,because state feels decision was taken one-sidedly .
Joseph’s line was very direct: “The Centre should have informed Kerala before taking such a step.” And in matter like dam safety,especially when Mullaperiyar is already under Supreme Court scrutiny,this kind of communication gap naturally creates more doubts .
Kerala is now demanding that its nominee should be brought back into committee . State’s point is simple only — if dam is in question and safety concerns are affecting people in Kerala,then Kerala representative should be there in discussion.
Few things standing out clearly here:
- Kerala wants immediate reinstatement of T.K. Sivarajan in CDSEC.
- State is questioning why he was replaced with nominee from Uttar Pradesh .
- Mullaperiyar dam matter is already under Supreme Court scrutiny .
And tbh,the Uttar Pradesh nominee part is what is making many people ask more questions . Joseph also asked,“If there were any complaints against Mr. Sivarajan,Kerala should have been informed before such action was taken.” That sounds like basic process,not some extra demand .
Kerala is also repeating that public safety in Kerala comes first,and it still wants construction of new dam at Mullaperiyar . At same time,Joseph said Kerala remains committed to supplying water to Tamil Nadu,so state is trying to show that water sharing and safety talks can go together .
The CDSEC was formed by National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) under Dam Safety Act,2021,after Supreme Court directions . So this is not just ordinary committee change,it is connected to legal process,dam safety and inter-state water understanding between Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
But if discussions do not work,Kerala may take matter back to Supreme Court . And that leaves one uncomfortable question hanging… why remove Kerala’s voice from safety panel at this stage only…
