Vaiko meets PM, demands stopping Kerala from building a new dam

MDMK chief Vaiko today complained to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that Kerala Government was creating “panic and fear psychosis”  among the people on the Mullaperiyar Dam issue while contending that the 116-year-old structure was safe. As the confrontation between the neighbouring states escalated over the safety of the dam, political leaders and lawmakers have been demanding Singh’s intervention in the issue for the past few days. Vaiko, who met the Prime Minister at his residence, told Singh that the Centre should take “urgent measures” to prevent the proposed construction of a new dam by Kerala Government. He alleged that political parties in Kerala at the behest of the Government were indulging in “atrocious, nefarious and illegal threatening activities” that pose a “serious threat” to the dam’s safety. [caption id=“attachment_148303” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Mullaperiyar Dam. Wikileaks Common”]  [/caption] In a memorandum submitted to Singh, Vaiko spoke in detail about the Supreme Court verdict that allowed the Tamil Nadu Government to raise the level of the dam from the existing 136 ft to 142 ft and steps being taken to strengthen the dam with “sophisticated technology”. In a brief interaction with reporters, Vaiko said even for argument sake, if the dam gets damaged, the Mullaperiyar Dam will withstand and quoted studies by technocrats and engineers. “But, the Kerala Government and political parties are creating a fear psychosis and panic in the minds of Kerala people as if the dam is going to burst and devour the lives of lakhs and lakhs of people,” the MDMK chief said. He also demanded that the Centre deploy personnel of Central Industrial Security Force to guard the dam, a demand which was mooted by both Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and DMK chief M Karunanidhi. While Tamil Nadu wants the dam level to be raised, Kerala is of the view that a new dam should be built. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court-appointed committee on Mullaperiyar Dam dispute met in New Delhi today during which lawyers  representing Tamil Nadu and Kerala made representations on their stands and asked the panel to hear them before submitting its report. At today’s meeting, Kerala submitted a memorandum before the committee stating that frequent tremors in Idduki district were causing damage to the dam and that the state should be heard before the report is finalised. Tamil Nadu contended before the panel that there was no need for a new dam and that the water level of the existing dam should be raised from the present 136 ft to 142 ft as per a 2006 Supreme Court directive. As both states submitted their viewpoints, the panel is understood to told them that it would hear both sides before arriving at a conclusion. Supreme Court constitutes a five-member empowered committee to study all the issues of Mullaperiyar. The report is to be submitted in February 2012. Tamil Nadu and Kerala are engaged in a confrontation over the Mullaperiyar Dam issue. While Kerala wants a new dam to be built near the existing structure, Tamil Nadu wants the dam level to be raised to 142 ft. PTI