Kerala Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan on Thursday asked the state government to take a serious view of the “unilateral” approach adopted by the technical members on Supreme Court appointed empowered committee on the Mullaperiyar issue during their inspection tour to the dam last week.
There were reasons to suspect that “certain quarters” were making well-thought-out moves to weaken Kerala’s case in the long-drawn dispute with Tamil Nadu, the Marxist stalwart said in a statement.
The former chief minister wanted Kerala Government to bring this matter to the notice of the Empowered Panel headed by former Chief Justice of India, A S Aanand, and the Supreme Court itself.
Controversial remarks
Kerala Opposition Leader, also accused the Oommen Chandy Government of having failed to react sharply to the controversial remarks made about the case by the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram recently.
Kerala officials had stayed away from the visit of the technical members last week alleging they did not hear the state’s views on the dam’s safety aspects.
The two technical members on the panel--C D Thatte and D K Mehta had a two day inspection tour of dams in Idukki district including the 116-year-old Mullaperiyar reservoir which Kerala wants to be replaced with a new one citing safety concerns.
Thatte had allegedly declined to heed the Kerala officials views during the inspection conducted on December 23.
Unilateral approach
However, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had on Wednesday said that the State would decide in consultation with lawyers on moving court against the alleged “unilateral” approach of the technical members.
Kerala’s Mullaperiyar Cell Chairman M K Parameswaran Nair personally appeared before the cabinet on Wednesday and briefed the recent developments regading Mullaperiyar dam issue.
