: About 500 farmers and members of the public today blocked traffic at Lower Camp at Cumbum in this district to protest against Kerala Forest Department officials allegedly preventing PWD workers from Tamil Nadu and CISF personnel in doing maintenance work in Mullaiperiyar dam.
Mullaperiyar Irrigation Farmers Association president Abbas alleged that the forest department was trying to force officials of his state to withdraw the petition filed before National Green Tribunal (NGT) against building a mega car parking area.
Tamil Nadu government's stand is that construction could not be allowed in the areas leased out to it.
The farmers charged Kerala officials with intimidating their counterparts from Tamil Nadu and also central government officials.
The southern bench of NGT in September had ordered constitution of a two member committee to resolve the furore over the "factual aspects" of the park.The tribunal had stayed construction in water spread area of Mullaperiyar reservoir.
Kerala had submitted that the proposed site is within Kumili town in Kerala, but Tamil Nadu had said construction could not be allowed in leased out land of Mullaperiyar dam.
The bench had refused to vacate the stay order and had then directed constitution of a two-member committee, to be appointed separately by the Surveyor General of India and the Inspector General of forests.
The bench had said the team would inspect the site and file a report on the factual aspects within six weeks and posted the matter January 22, 2015.
