Stir over report stating illegal check dam at Chokramudi need not be filled

PROTESTS broke out in Chokramudi over the minor irrigation and soil conservation departments' report that the artificially constructed checkdam there need not to be filled.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @Idukki

PROTESTS broke out in Chokramudi over the minor irrigation and soil conservation departments' report that the artificially constructed checkdam there need not be filled. The departments' officials had visited the spot on Wednesday after the Bison Valley panchayat had sought for technical help from them following the district collector's order to fill the checkdam immediately. However, the departments suggested maintaining the check-dam in its present condition.

Private parties had built a 4-m-deep checkdam (20m long and 10m wide) to store the water flowing down from the Chokramudi hill through a stream. But a portion of the dam had broken off during heavy rain a few months ago.