Water Resources Minister K. Krishnankutty has sought reports from the Irrigation Department and Kerala Water Authority (KWA) regarding the dispute over the land identified for the 120-mld water supply project at Neyyar that led to tension in the region on Friday.
The issue centres on a disused temple within the land identified for the project. According to revenue and irrigation department officials, the land in question was cleared of all encroachments years ago. On Friday, the dispute assumed religious and political overtones when people led by Hindu Aikya Vedi leaders forcibly organised a pooja at the temple ignoring the warnings of the police and revenue officials. This had led to tension in the region till Friday afternoon.
On Saturday, the Neyyar dam police registered cases against four Aikya Vedi activists. Following the tension on Friday, CPI(M) district secretary Anavoor Nagappan had accused the BJP and RSS of attempting to scuttle the ₹60-crore, 120-mld project that envisages water supply to Thiruvananthapuram city and four grama panchayats.