Kumuli: Periyakulam TVK MLA Sabari Aiyngaran posted drone footage of the protected forest area of the Periyar dam as reels on social media. Based on a complaint from the Kerala Forest Department, the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department has begun an inquiry.
The Mullaperiyar dam is located in the dense forest area of the Periyar Tiger Reserve. Since it is a restricted area with various controls, outsiders cannot easily enter here. In addition, there are strict rules for visiting and taking photographs here.
In this situation, on Aug. 8, water was released from the Mullaperiyar dam for the first crop season in the Cumbum valley region. For this, a large number of people had gathered at the sluice area where water is released into the Thekkady forest area of Tamil Nadu.
District Collector R. Vaithinathan led the event, with MP Thanga Tamilselvan, Andipatti DMK MLA Maharajan, and TVK MLAs from Cumbum and Periyakulam, Jeganath Mishra and Sabari Aingaran, present on the dais.
At that time, a drone camera was used on behalf of MLA Sabari Angaran’s IT wing. It captured visuals of the water release, flower showering, and the flowing water. In addition, from a height, an eagle’s-eye view of the forest area and the paths through which the water flowed was also recorded.
Later, these recordings were uploaded as reels with background music on Sabari Angaran’s social media accounts.
This was brought to the attention of the Kerala Forest Department. Following this, the Kerala Forest Department has sought an explanation from the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department.
Since drone flying was prohibited in the protected forest area, they have asked for details, saying how could this be allowed.
Kerala forest department officials are conducting an inquiry with a Tamil Nadu TVK MLA over a complaint, creating a stir in the Tamil Nadu-Kerala region.
