Kumali, Idukki: A row has erupted over Tamil Nadu Public Works Department's act of plying vehicles on the bridge over Mullaperiyar dam. It is alleged that the department did this to prove that the dam is strong. The department brought four vehicles over the main dam for the purpose during an inspection by a high-powered committee led by justice Anand.

The vehicles were brought to the middle of the dam, and the committee officials were taken to the gallery below in other vehicles for inspection.

During a meeting held at Mullaperiyar office in Kumali on Saturday, the supervisory committee chairman Gulshanraj, who is an executive engineer of Central Water Commission, asked Tamil Nadu to submit the operation manual of spillway shutters of the dam immediately.

Tamil Nadu has promised to submit the report to Central Water Commission within a month. After receiving it, a final report will be prepared with the participation of officials from Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. Kerala has been demanding this for years.

The water level allowed in the dam is 142 feet, but it has only 134.25 feet of water in it now and the level is constantly coming down. Hence, there is no need to panic over the dam's safety, the chairman said after the meeting.

Earlier, the committee members had inspected the dam.

The committee members are Tinku Biswal, representing Kerala, and KS Prabhakar, representing Tamil Nadu.Various sub-committee members too were present.

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