No headway in Mullaperiyar talks

New Delhi, Dec 18 (UNI) Tamil Nadu and Kerala today failed to achieve any progress at the Centre-sponsored ministerial level talks on the vexed Mullaperiyar dam issue with both sides remaining firm in their respective stands, amid announcement that another round of discussion would be held between the two contending states as early as possible.

Tamil Nadu Works Minister Durai Murugan and Kerala Irrigation Minister N K Premachandran held two-hour long discussion on legal and technical aspects of the dispute relating to the raising of the height of the inter-state Mullaperiyar dam and construction of a new dam.

The meeting was held in the presence of Union Water Resources Development Minister Saifuddin Soz.

The ministers told mediapersons separately that they could not make any "progress" at the meeting, but expressed the hope that the discussion would continue.

They said Mr Soz would decide whether the next round of discussion would be at the level of Chief Ministers, or ministers or officials.

Mr Soz said both the states had detailed discussion on the dispute.

"This kind of discussion is to lead to some kind of dignified solution. Now I will have to see what type of a meeting is required.

I have to devise ways and means to find a lasting solution to the dispute. Ultimately, the governments of both the states are chosen by the people and they are responsible to find a solution. We will have another round of discussion as early as possible." Today's ministerial level meeting was held as per the decision taken at the November 29 meeting between Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and his Kerala couterpart V S Achuthanandan in New Delhi under the central mediation.

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