Vaiko

CHENNAI: Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary Vaiko has urged the Centre to initiate action to hand over the responsibility of maintaining and protecting the Mullaperiyar dam to Tamil Nadu, and take steps to implement the Supreme Court verdict "in letter and spirit."

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday, Mr.Vaiko said the issue had caused "grave concern" to the people of Tamil Nadu. The law enacted by the Kerala Assembly against the Supreme Court judgement was a "challenge to the integrity of India."

Recalling that an all-party delegation from Kerala had met Mr. Singh in New Delhi on August 31 and demanded that maintenance and administration of the dam be handed over to their State, he said the plea ran counter to the Supreme Court judgment. He urged the Centre to reject Kerala's demand.

Mr. Vaiko said according to the lease agreement of the Mullaperiyar dam signed in 1886, Tamil Nadu had the right over the dam for 999 years and could store water at 152 feet. "Since the Kerala Government protested with unjust and false objections, the Central Water Resources Authority, with the consent of the two States, in 1979 suggested that water could be stored up to 136 feet initially." The level could be raised to 145 feet and 152 feet after carrying out repairs and completing all the works respectively. Even after completion of the first stage of repair, the Kerala Government "unjustly opposed raising the water level to 136 feet."

He pointed out that the Supreme Court, in its final verdict in the case on February 27, allowed Tamil Nadu to raise the water level to 142 feet.

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