MADURAI: By allowing unabated smuggling of sand from the Vaigai river to Kerala, the Tamil Nadu Government was indirectly helping Kerala to ‘de-commission’ Periyar dam and construct a new dam in its place, Tamilar Desiya Iyakkam leader P. Nedumaran has alleged.
Speaking to reporters here on Friday, Nedumaran assailed the DMK Government for neither taking steps to increase the water level of the dam nor preventing Kerala from smuggling out sand from the Vaigai.
“Despite objections raised by Theni farmers and the High Court order against illegal sand mining, the Government has done little to prevent sand smuggling,” he said.
Alleging that the Kerala Government was trying to pile up sand near the Periyar Dam before starting work for a new dam, he said, “Tamil Nadu Government is helping Kerala to de-commission the Periyar dam by allowing sand smuggling.”
About one lakh tonne of sand would be required to construct a new dam and at least 200 truckloads of sand was being moved there every day.
All-party meet
The Tamilar Desiya Iyakkam would organise an all-party conference at Theni in the second week of August to highlight illegal sand mining.
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