Periyar Dam Forum to go ahead with 'eco blockade'

Madurai, Nov 29: The Periyar Dam Rights Retrieval Forum will go ahead with the proposed economic blockade against Kerala on December four, protesting its intransigence in complying with the Supreme Court order directing hiking of the storage level in Mullaperiyar Dam to 142 feet from the present reduced level of 136 feet.

Seeking the cooperation and support of all political parties in the state for the agitation, Forum Convenor and Tamil Nationalist Movement Leader Pazha Nedumaran told newspersons here that the stir was aimed at exerting pressure on Kerala to adhere to the rule of law.

Explaining the importance of raising the storage level immediately and reverting to the original 152 feet, he said the more than two- decade delay had desertified vast tracts of agricultural lands in the drought-prone five southern districts. Further procrastination would only aggravate the situation, he warned.

The dam had been strengthened as per the guidelines of the Central Water Commission and only Kerala was raising bogeys for l.55 tmc ft of water, he observed.

On next week's stir, he said the blockade would be held at three strategic entry points -- Cumbum, Coimbatore and Shencottah. Mr Nedumaran himself would lead the blockade at Cumbum.

The forum comprised the MDMK and many other political outfits and farmers' organisations.

Meanwhile, more than 100 CPI workers and supporters were detained in the city when they proceeded to block rail traffic in protest against Kerala's ''unreasonable'' stand on the issue.

Led by the party's Farmers Wing Leader Durai Manickam and District Secretary Sethuraman, they raised slogans condemning the Kerala Government.

UNI

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