Periyar dam rights paramount: Jaya

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu State Assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution moved by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa asserting, “Under no circumstances, Tamil Nadu will give up its rights over Mullaiperiyar dam.”

Speaking at the special session of the State Assembly convened to discuss the issue, leaders of all parties in the House—DMK, DMDK, Congress, PMK, CPI, CPM, AISMK, MMK, RPI and AIFB expressed their solidarity with the State government in resolving the issue.

Accusing Kerala of indulging in acts of deception on the issue, the CM condemned the Centre for maintaining silen­ce for over 20 days regarding her request to advice Kerala not to whip up fear psychosis among the people. In another plea later, she had also sought that Central Industrial Security Force personnel be stationed at the dam site, considering the tense situation. “The PM has given his silence alone as his reply to my request,” she said and renewed her appeal in this regard.

Expressing anguish over Kerala Assembly’s December 9 resolution seeking to lower the dam’s water level to 120 feet, the resolution moved by Jayalalithaa asked Kerala to make appropriate amend­m­ents to the Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation (Amendment) Act 2006 to facilitate TN to raise the water level to 142 feet as per the Supreme Court’s directive. It also urged Keral­a government not to hinder Tamil Nadu from carrying out long-term safety measu­res on the dam to eventually raise the level to 152 feet. The CM said the State government was of the firm opinion that it could establish its stand in court by placing scientific and technical data on the issue.

Asking the people of Tamil Nadu to refrain from carrying out agitations on the Kerala border, Jayalalithaa said it would only weaken the State’s arguments and be counterproductive to TN.

“Kerala government had planned to generate 780 mw of power from Idukki reservoir but could not do so as the dam did not get sufficient water. If there is no Mullaiperiyar dam, its entire water will reach Idukki, allowing power generation. There are suspicions that this may be the reason for Kerala government’s mischievous propaganda that Mullaiperiyar dam is weak,” she said.