THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Government is keeping its options open on Mullaperiyar, including abrogation of the lease deed with Tamil Nadu, Kerala Water Resources Minister N.K. Premachandran told the Assembly on Monday.

Responding to a calling attention motion moved by K.M. Mani (Kerala Congress-M), the Minister said the Government was awaiting the outcome of the Prime Minister's mediation to settle the dispute between Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The Government's information was that the Prime Minister's Office had made considerable progress. However, the State would not hesitate to act firmly if the Prime Minister's mediation failed, he added.

Mr. Premachandran accepted the member's view that Kerala was well within its right to go in for invalidation of the agreement with Tamil Nadu under Section 108 (m) of the Transfer of Property Act, but said such an option would be resorted to only under unavoidable circumstances and if there was an express decision to that effect from the Assembly.

Under the Act, the lessor has the right to inspect transferred property and give notice to the lessee to rectify any defect in the transferred property within three months. In case the lessee fails to comply with the demand, the lessor is free to seek abrogation of the lease deed. The Kerala Government had sent members of the Dam Safety Authority to inspect the Mullaperiyar dam and examine its strength. Although the Authority members visited the dam site, the Tamil Nadu authorities did not permit them to inspect the dam. Following this, Kerala had put the Tamil Nadu Government on notice, but wished to proceed further only after knowing the outcome of the efforts being made by the Prime Minister's Office to bring about a negotiated settlement. The Government, he said, had also proposed construction of an alternative dam.

Taking strong exception to the statements made by MDMK leader Vaiko at a rally in Madurai recently, Mr. Premachandran said his statement did not behove of the leader of a political party functioning within a federal system. The Government, he said, was ready for a negotiated settlement of the issue, but added that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi's response to Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan's letter on the subject was not positive. The letter, though couched in diplomatic jargon, more or less clearly asserted Tamil Nadu's right to raise the height of the dam to 142 feet on the basis of the Supreme Court verdict and was not something that could pave the way for a dialogue, the Minister said.

To consider views

He offered to consider views from all sides of the House on the best course before the State.

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