Dam issue: TN, Kerala to meet again in fortnight

New Delhi, Nov 29: Discussions between Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Kerala to find a solution to the Mullaperiyar dam issue concluded here today as both sides decided to meet again in a fortnight.

The crucial discussions were held under the mediation of Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz.

Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan and his Tamil Nadu counterpart M Karunanidhi expressed satisfaction over the progress in today's talks, lasting about 90 minutes, to iron out the differences over the issue, which has snowballed into a major political controversy.

Official sources said Kerala Irrgiation Minister N K Premachandran and Tamil Nadu Public Works Minister Turai Murugan will meet here in the next fortnight to take the discussions further. Both sides will be assisted by Chief Engineers of respective states.

''The Chief Ministers would meet again, if there is a significant progress in talks between the state ministers,'' the sources said.

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.

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 apex court had allowed to increase the level to 142 ft, the Kerala government had passed a legislation to circumvent the court's verdict.

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

UNI

Related Stories