MDMK plea to PM on Mullaperiyar Dam

Chennai, Sep 21 (UNI) The Marumalarchi DMK (MDMK) today urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take necessary steps for implementing the Supreme Court order allowing Tamil Nadu to raise the water level in the Mullaperiyar Dam from 136 ft to 142 ft.

In a letter to Dr Singh, copy of which was made available to the media here, MDMK General Secretary Vaiko said the Kerala Government, instead of honouring the Apex Court verdict, had enacted a law, 'against the Supreme Court order and acted in a way to endanger the unity of India.' ''The law enacted by Kerala Government is a challenge to the integrity of India,'' he said.

Pointing out that an all-party delegation from Kerala had met the Prime Minister and demanded the maintenance and administration of the dam be vested with them, Mr Vaiko said this was totally against the Supreme Court order.

He requested the Prime Minister to reject the demand in toto and initiate action to hand over the responsibility of maintaining and protecting th dam to the Tamil Nadu Government.

Mr Vaiko also enclosed a copy of the resolution adopted at the retrieval rally led by him in Madurai on September 19 on the issue.

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