Chennai, Feb 18 : Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan said on Friday that the state would oppose Kerala’s attempts to build a new dam across the Periyar river.
In a statement issued here, Duraimurugan said news reports state that Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan said in his address to the state Assembly that a new dam will be constructed in the Mullaperiyar dam region.
Khan’s statement is against the Supreme Court judgement dated May 7, 2014, Duraimurugan said.
The minister said the apex court in its order had categorically said that the Mullaperiyar dam is strong in every aspect and Kerala cannot thrust on Tamil Nadu its plans to construct a new dam.
Given this situation, Kerala’s unilateral decision to construct a new dam cannot be accepted, and Tamil Nadu will oppose it, Duraimurugan said.
He added that Tamil Nadu will not relinquish any of its rights relating to the Mullaperiyar dam.
Former Union Minister and PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss said Tamil Nadu should not hold any talks with Kerala on the latter’s plan to construct a new dam.
“Tamil Nadu’s goal should be to increase the water storage from 142 feet to 152 feet. Kerala is opposed to raising the water storage to 152 feet as it would submerge the luxury resorts built nearby,” Ramadoss said.
Ramadoss said Tamil Nadu should get the apex court’s permission to take steps for strengthening the Baby dam and then raise the water level to 152 feet in the Mullaperiyar dam.
Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been at loggerheads over the dam, built under an 1886 accord between the then Maharaja of Travancore and the erstwhile British Raj.
Though the dam is located in Kerala, it is owned, maintained and operated by Tamil Nadu.
In 2014, the Supreme Court had decreed in favour of Tamil Nadu and permitted the state to raise the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam to 142 feet from its earlier storage level of 136 feet.
In 2012, the Supreme Court empowered committee had said that the Mullaperiyar dam is structurally safe.
Even in 2006, the apex court had said that Kerala cannot obstruct Tamil Nadu from increasing the water level in the dam to 142 feet and from carrying out repair works.
The Kerala government wants to build a new dam by raising the bogey of the dam’s safety, so that its control will be with it.(IANS)
