Centre-sponsored CMs meet on Mullaperiyar starts

New Delhi, Nov 29: The Centre-mediated talks to find a solution to the Mullaperiyar dam dispute between Kerala and Tamil Nadu started here today.

Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan and his Tamil Nadu counterpart M Karunanidhi will iron out the differences over the issue, which has snowballed into a major political controversy.

The crucial meeting, whose outcome holds the key to peace and order across the border between the two states, is being held in the office of Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz.

Though Tamil Nadu had proposed the name of Union Communication Minister Dayanidhi Maran to be included as a member of the state's negotiating team, Kerala has politely turned down the idea saying that a Cabinet minister should not represent a state when the Centre is a negotiator.

The dispute relating to the sharing of the inter-state Mullaperiyar river had been discussed by both the states several times before, but today's meeting is being keenly watched as this is the first time that both the states are discussing the issue in the presence of the Centre.

Moreover, Kerala is represented by a Chief Minister who has been in the forefront of the state's fight against Tamil Nadu on the issue of Mullaperiyar. Mr Achuthanandan became chief minister only six months ago, but has been most vocal on the Mullaperiyar issue for the past 15 years.

The known emotional involvement of Mr Achuthanandan in the Mullaperiyar issue is likely to make it a hard bargain for Tamil Nadu.

However, Tamil Nadu is hopeful that the issue would be amicably settled under the mediation of the Centre in the context of the fact that the ruling DMK is part of the UPA which is also supported from outside by the CPI(M), the ruling party in Kerala.

The stand of Tamil Nadu is that the Supreme Court's order to allow the level the Mullaperiyar dam to be raised to 142 ft, should be implemented. But Kerala has been against the raising of the dam level beyond 136 ft as it is apprehensive that higher storage would prove detrimental to the safety of the 112-year-old dam. Kerala maintains that any breach in the dam would lead to at least four districts submerging in the water.

Though the Supreme court had allowed to increase the level to 142 ft, the Kerala government had passed a legislation to circumvent the court verdict.

Noting that the Mullaperiyar is a political controversy, the apex Court had on Monday asked the two southern states to find some amicable out-of-court settlement instead of litigating.

UNI