Thiruvananthapuram: The government has frozen the decision to cut down 15 trees as part of strengthening the baby dam at Mullaperiyar. The decision taken only at the official level was highly politically controversial. Forest Minister AK Sasindran said there would be an inquiry and action against the officials.

NCP state president PC Chacko and others had come forward to criticize the state government for allowing Tamil Nadu to cut down trees under the Mullaperiyar Baby Dam. PC Chacko had said that he should clarify whether the order to cut was with the knowledge of the Chief Minister.

If such an order is issued without the knowledge of the Forest Minister, it is a serious breach of discipline. PC Chacko criticized that the decision should have been taken in consultation. Forest Minister AK Sasindran had said that the order was issued without his knowledge. PC Chacko said it was unacceptable for officials to make decisions without even the knowledge of the minister.
The state government then took the decision.

Thiruvananthapuram: With the cyclone turning into a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal, heavy rains are expected in the state from next Tuesday, the Met Office said.

Following this, Orange Alert was declared in five districts on Thursday. Orange alert was declared in Kottayam, Idukki, Palakkad, Malappuram, and Wayanad districts. Isolated heavy rain is expected on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The low is formed off the coast of Sumatra in the Bay of Bengal in the southeast. According to the Met Office, this is likely to become extremely low pressure and make landfall off the northern coast of Tamil Nadu. As a result of this, heavy rainfall is also expected in Kerala.

Meanwhile, heavy rains continued in Chennai. A red alert has been issued in Chennai for three days following heavy rains that continued from Saturday night. Chief Minister MK Stalin has directed collectors to take precautionary measures following a warning from the Meteorological Department.

Large floodplains formed in many low-lying areas of the city. A flood alert has been issued in Chennai as water is leaking from three reservoirs. People are being evacuated from the flood-hit low-lying areas of Chennai. Hundreds of families were relocated. In Chennai alone, there are several relief camps. NDRF deployed in the city for rescue operations.

Suburban service to Beach, Egmore, Tambaram, Kanchipuram, and Chengalpet has been suspended.

Kumali: The water level in the Mullaperiyar dam has dropped due to declining rainfall. The water level in the dam on Saturday was 138.50 feet. The flow of water to the dam has also been reduced. With this, Tamil Nadu closed all the seven shutters on the spillway. Now there is a shutter to close. Its height has been reduced to 20 cm.

The spillway discharges 980 cubic feet of water per second. The water level in the Idukki dam reached 2398.72 feet. The red alert level is 2398.79 feet.

Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan had on Friday said that steps would be taken to raise the water level in the Mullaperiyar Dam to 152 feet. The minister’s response came after a team of Tamil Nadu ministers visited the dam.

Thiruvananthapuram: The main accused in the diplomatic gold smuggling case Swapna Suresh has been released from jail. Swapna Suresh, who has been lodged in the Attakkulangara jail in Thiruvananthapuram for a year and four months, was released on bail in six cases. Swapna Suresh’s mother Prabha Suresh had reached the jail around 11 am and handed over the court orders. After completing the bail process and the jail proceedings, Swapna was released at 11.30 am after a medical examination. Swapna has not commented on the release. She went to her house in Balaramapuram, Thiruvananthapuram with her mother. She was granted bail for two days this month in a gold smuggling case. But the court proceedings, as well as the delay in posting bail to jail, were all delayed by three days. Swapna has been released on a bond of Rs. 25 lakh and two equivalent sureties.

Kochi: Another Congress activist has been arrested in connection with the crash of Joju George’s vehicle vandalizing case. Youth Congress leader Sheriff was arrested. With this, the number of those arrested in the case is two. Police said the sheriff was identified based on the statement of the arrested Joseph. Joseph’s bail plea was rejected by the Ernakulam Judicial First Class Magistrate Court yesterday.