Kerala seeks nod to raise Kunnar dam height

Kochi: Kerala High Court on Monday recorded a submission by the state that it had  asked the Union government about the possibility of raising the height of Kunnar dam by 2.5 metres for providing water to  Sabarimala.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice Anu Sivaraman directed  the state government to inform it of the steps taken by it on November 18, the next posting date.

The Devaswom commissioner had earlier approached Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden seeking sanction to execute the project as .665 hectares of forest land will be lost if the height is increased.

Devaswom Special Commissioner K. Babu submitted that it was estimated that 9.5 MLD (million litres of water a day ) water is required at Sannidhanam during the pilgrim season.

Around 6.5 MLD can be sourced from Pampa. There is a shortage of 3 MLD. One MLD can be sourced from Kunnar and distributed without treatment. In the present condition,  additional water required at Sannidhanam would be 2 MLD.  It was necessary to increase the height of the dam to meet the water requirements.