TN to move SC against Centre

Kerala gets consent on survey at Mullaperiyar

Tamil Nadu has been seeking to raise the water storage level in the 152 feet-high Mullaperiyar dam, from the present 136 feet to 142 feet. This dam, at the confluence of the Mullaiyar and Periyar rivers in Kerala is an irrigation structure, which was built under the British rule for the erstwhile Travancore princely state but, under a lease agreement, is being maintained by Tamil Nadu.

Kerala has been opposing the rising of the storage level in Mullaperiyar, citing safety concerns and has been arguing that the existing structure is too weak to hold additional water that could lead to a dam burst and affect a large population downstream in that State. Kerala has been wanting to construct a new dam instead in that place and Tamil Nadu has already challenged this position in the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, with reports reaching here that the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests, headed by Jayaram Ramesh, had given the nod to Kerala for a preliminary environmental survey, for the purpose of constructing a new dam, the Chief Minister, M Karunanidhi is deeply hurt by this move as Congress and DMK are allies.

Karunanidhi said that he had already written to Jairam Ramesh on September  22, citing earlier reports of the Centre giving the go ahead for a new survey to Kerala. They were disturbing as the original dispute was pending in the Supreme Court. The hearing in that case is slated to be taken up from October 20 and any such fresh move would amount to contempt of the Apex Court.