The Hindu : Front Page : Mullaperiyar: special session of Assembly on March 14, 15

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 07, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Mullaperiyar: special session of Assembly on March 14, 15

Staff Reporter

MAKING A POINT: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan at an all-party meeting on the Mullaperiyar dam issue, in Kochi on Monday. — Photo: Vipinchandran

KOCHI: A two-day special session of the State Assembly will be convened on March 14 and 15 to discuss the Supreme Court verdict permitting Tamil Nadu to raise the water level of the Mullaperiyar dam to 142 feet from 136 feet.

A decision to this effect was taken at an all-party meeting held in Kochi on Monday to take stock of the situation following the Supreme Court's directive to the State on the dam issue.

The Assembly is being convened for amending the Kerala Dam's Safety Act, 2003 to protect the interests of the State as any further increase in the water level may affect the safety of the 111-year-old dam, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told mediapersons after the meeting.

Mr. Chandy said the increase in the water level would affect Idukki, Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts, besides endangering the Periyar Tiger Reserve. Kerala was not against giving water to Tamil Nadu. But the State could not overlook the safety of the people of the State, he said.

Mr. Chandy said legal opinion was for amending the Kerala Dam Safety Act, 2003 to protect the interests of the State.

Finance Minister Vakkom Purushothaman was also present. Those who attended the all-party meeting included Water Resources Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan; A. K. Antony, MP; KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala; T. M. Jacob, MLA; UDF convener P. P. Thankachan; P. C. George, MLA; Kadannapally Ramachandran; and Francis George, MP.

Later talking to mediapersons, Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan wondered whether the State Government had properly presented the case of the State before the Supreme Court.

He said that the issue related to Mullaperiyar was not an inter-State river dispute, as it was Kerala's own river. The State Assembly was fully empowered to take a decision or pass a legislation regarding the river, Mr. Achuthanandan said.

Offering full support and cooperation to the stand to taken by the Government on the issue, Mr. Achuthanandan said the Government would have to act fast. He criticised the State Government for failing to understand the gravity of the situation.

LDF leaders K.P. Rajendran and P.J. Joseph were also present at the press conference.

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