The Hindu : Front Page : DMK disapproves of panel on Mullaperiyar dam dispute

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DMK disapproves of panel on Mullaperiyar dam dispute

Special Correspondent

Apex court decided to constitute the committee
Karunanidhi for meet of Chief Ministers or engineers

CHENNAI: Expressing its disapproval of the Supreme Court decision to constitute a five-member Empowered Committee on the Mullaperiyar dam dispute, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Saturday declared that there was no need for Tamil Nadu to have its nominee on the panel.

Adopting a resolution to this effect at a general council meeting of the party, the DMK argued that though the party did not oppose the move, it was in no position to accept the Supreme Court’s announcement, which sought to deflect the directive of the case filed by Tamil Nadu; create an impression in favour of an amendment enacted by Kerala to its Irrigation and Water Conservation Act and ignore the court’s order in February 2006, permitting Tamil Nadu to raise the water level in the dam initially from 136 ft up to 142 ft.

“The general council strongly believes that there is no need for the Tamil Nadu government’s nominee to be present in the five-member committee to reiterate truth, which has been brought out by the seven-member Mittal Committee and the Supreme Court on the issue.” [In June 2000, the Union Water Resources Ministry constituted a seven-member committee, headed by Member of the Central Water Commission B.K. Mittal, to study the safety of the dam and advise the Union Water Resources Minister regarding raising of the water level of the dam beyond 136 ft.]

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi chaired the meeting.

Mr. Karunanidhi has urged Congress president Sonia Gandhi to prevail upon the Union government to use its good offices in the resolution of inter-State river disputes.

Disclosing this on Saturday, Mr. Karunanidhi said he wrote a letter to the Congress president on February 17.

Addressing a press conference after the conclusion of the general council meeting, he said the Union government should call Chief Ministers of States concerned or engineers for discussion and take suitable decisions. He was responding to questions on the party resolution on the Mullaperiyar dispute and the lapse of three years since the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal gave the final order. On the suggestion for an all-party meeting on the dispute, Mr. Karunanidhi expressed the hope that his party’s decision would be acceptable to others.

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