KOCHI : Minister for Water Resources N.K. Premachandran has said the Government is ready to hold talks with Tamil Nadu to resolve the Mullaperiyar issue. Addressing a press conference here on Friday, the Minister said the Government would be forced to initiate legal measures if Tamil Nadu Government stood by its decision to approach the Supreme Court.

He said that Kerala always tried to find an amicable solution to the vexed issue through mutual talks. But the Tamil Nadu Government decided to withdraw from the talks unilaterally. Tamil Nadu should explain the reasons for its decision to withdraw from the talks, he said.

Mr. Premachandran urged the Tamil Nadu Minister for Public Works Durai Murugan to explain why he had gone back on the assurance given on December 12 that Mullaperiyar talks would continue. The Minister said the statistics furnished by Tamil Nadu about the safety of the dam was not true.

Referring to the breach in the cement plaster on the parapet wall of the dam, Mr. Premachandran said the incident strengthened Kerala's stand that the condition of the dam was poor. He alleged that Tamil Nadu failed to lodge a complaint about the incident with the Kerala police.

A first information report (FIR) was filed only after four days of the event, he said.

The Minister reiterated that the State would not allow deployment of Central forces at the dam site.

The Kerala Government was handling the issue with self-control despite several provocations from political parties and other groups in Tamil Nadu.

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