Kerala Minister says SC order on Mullaperiyar a relief

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 19: Kerala Water Resources Minister N K Premachandran today said the Supreme Court order on the Mullaperiyar Dam case filed by Tamil Nadu was a 'great relief' to the State.

He said the Court order was an achievement for the transparent and truthful stand taken by the state, an official release said here.

The release said the Supreme Court Bench refused to grant a temporary stay restraining the operation of the Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2006, sought by Tamil Nadu.

(The Act specified that water level in the Mullaperiyar reservoir should not exceed 136 feet on safety considerations).

In the apex court, Kerala argued that as Periyar river was owned by the state, it had the right to pass such an act. It also apprised the court that it was because of the Tamil Nadu government's unilateral withdrawal that talks to find an amicable solution to the issue failed, the release said.

Mr Premachandran said the government would file a detailed written statement on Mullaperiyar before the Supreme Court soon. The expert committee formed by the government would prepare a detailed statement.

The Court had asked the two state governments to resolve the issue through dialogue, setting an example to other states involved in such inter-state issues.

UNI