PM should intervene to make Kerala respect SC order on Dam

New Delhi, Mar 13 (UNI) The AIADMK today demanded the Prime Minister's intervention to prevent the Kerala Assembly from amending the Kerala Dam Safety Act to undo the effect of the Supreme Court judgement allowing Tamil Nadu to raise the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam from 136 feet to 142 feet.

Raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha during Zero Hour, leader of the AIADMK group P G Narayanan said the Kerala government's move to pass a legislation at a special session of the Assembly tomorrow to defeat the apex court judgement would create a bad precedent of not respecting the law and lead to a confrontation of the legislature with the judiciary.

Strongly supported by his party members, Mr Narayanan said since the House represented states, it should appeal to the Kerala Government to desist from the move.

He also demanded the Prime Minister's intervention in the matter.

However, his objection to convene the special Assembly session was strongly contested by Mr A K Antony of the Congress. He said the decision to convene the session was taken at an all party meeting, and not by the ruling party alone.

The state government understood that raising the water level of the dam would endanger the lives of people in five downstream districts of the state and would also cause environmental problem to the Periyar Tiger Reserve, he said.

Mr Nilotpal Basu of the CPI(M) also questioned the AIADMK demand to prevent the Kerala Assembly from amending the Act. He said the House was not entitled at all to stall the proceedings of an Assembly.

This led to heated exchanges between Mr Basu and Dr K Malaisamy of the AIADMK and other members, forcing the deputy chairperson to declare that the subject was over.

AIADMK members wanted to revive the issue after sometime but when the chair did not allow, they walked out of the House in protest.

UNI NAZ MSJ HS1355