The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Mullaperiyar issue: all-party meet in Kochi on Monday

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Friday, Mar 03, 2006

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Mullaperiyar issue: all-party meet in Kochi on Monday

Special Correspondent

Government has not failed in conducting the case before Supreme Court: Chandy

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Government will convene an all-party meeting to decide on its future course of action in the Mullaperiyar issue.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told mediapersons after discussions with Opposition Leader V. S. Achuthanandan that the meeting would be held in Kochi on Monday morning. It would deliberate on the adverse verdict of the Supreme Court against the stand of the State that the water level at the Mullaperiyar could not be raised beyond 136 feet for safety reasons. The best course of action to be taken by the State now would be looked into. The Chief Minister claimed that there was no failing on the part of the Government in conducting the case before the Supreme Court. The verdict was based on the expert committee report.

Mr. Chandy said that the Government wanted to maintain a cordial relationship with Tamil Nadu. However, the dam could not be allowed to become a threat to people in five districts of the State.

He said that the plan to take an all-party delegation to Delhi to demand more railway projects and trains for the State was being dropped. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would not be able to grant any, as the code of conduct for the elections had come into effect.

The Chief Minister said that the Leela Group, which owns the erstwhile ITDC Hotel at Kovalam, had expressed interest in an out-of-court settlement of the Halcyon Palace case. He would be holding a meeting with the Opposition Leader and the M. P., MLA and panchayat presidents representing the area next Wednesday for arriving at a consensus. There was, however, no question of the Government agreeing to part with the Palace and the 4.31 acres of land surrounding it. At the same time, the Government was keen to provide all help for the development of the hotel. Mr. Chandy said that he was not of the view that the polling in the State should be stretched to three days. The Director General of Police had recommended polling in two phases. Not many posts in the police were vacant. The Election Commission's remark on lack of full strength might be based on the report that some policemen had been diverted for treasury and other security duties.

He said that the Government had not intervened at any stage of the Vigilance inquiry into the SNC Lavalin case.

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