Kerala to demand arbitrator for Mullaperiyar dispute

New Delhi, July 29 (UNI) With the Supreme Court allowing Tamil Nadu to raise the height of the dam of the inter-state Mullaperiyar river despite opposition by Kerala on grounds of safety, Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan today said his government would now seek to leave the issue to an arbitrator.

"We will ask for the appointment of an arbitrator," Mr Achuthanandan, who is here to attend a two-day CPI(M) Polit bureau meeting, told mediapersons.

He said the original agreement on the sharing of Mullaperiyar river water between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, which was signed by the Madras Presidency and the Mahararaja of Travancore 111 years ago, also had the provision for arbitration in the event of a dispute between the two states.

This provision was there even when the agreement was revised in the 1970s.

In this context, Mr Achuthanandan pointed out that an arbitrator was appointed in the dispute between Punjab and Haryana over the Sutlej river agreement.

A few weeks ago, the Supreme Court had rejected a review petition of the Kerala government seeking review of its earlier order allowing Tamil Nadu to raise the level of the dam to 142 ft from the present 136 ft.

Kerala has been opposed to the idea of increasing the height of the Mullaperiyar dam as it was already in an unsafe condition.

Its main contention has been that any hike in the water level would pose a threat to the lives and property of a large number of people in about four districts.

The original demand of Tamil Nadu was to allow it to raise the dam level to 152ft. But the court allowed it to raise the level to 142 ft.

Tamil Nadu has been pressing for an increase in the dam level to provide irrigation and drinking water to a large number of people in a few districts.

UNI SH MSJ ND1906