Kerala files affidavit in the SC on Mullaperiyar: Minister

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 15 (UNI) Kerala Water Resources Minister N K Premachandran today said the government had filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court and alleged that discussions on the Mullaperiyar issue came to the a standstill due to Tamil Nadu government's unilateral withdrawal from talks.

He said the Tamil Nadu government's decision on the Mullaperiyar issue was ''unilateral,'' adding the withdrawal was against the spirit of the Supreme Court's suggestions.

The neighbouring state had tried to keep away from discussions by making provocative statements well before the discussions, he told reporters here.

Mr Premachandran said the government had also submitted detailed documents and demands raised in the meeting along with the affidavit to convince the Apex Court.

As Union Water Resources Minister Saifudeen Soz was the mediator of the talks, the government also urged him to apprise the court of the transparent stand taken by the state in this regard, he added.

The minister said for the first time it had also presented the state's demand for a new dam in place of the ailing century old dam.

UNI