Karunanidhi demands debate on Mullaiperiyar in Parliament

Chennai, Mar 5 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today expressed the hope that if Parliament allowed a debate on the final award of the Cauvery water disputes tribunal, it should also allow a discussion on the Mullaiperiyar dam issue, concerning Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Answering a set of questions, Mr Karunanidhi, referring to reports in a section of the press that Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee had given permission for a discussion on the Cauvery issue, said if allowed, it will give an opportunity to ask whether the Mullaiperiyar issue can also be taken up in Parliament.

The House was expected to adopt the same yardstick on allowing any debate on Cauvery and Mullaperiyar, he said adding ''we hope the Parliament will not take one stand on Cauvery and a different stand on Mullaiperiyar. Let us wait and watch,'' he added.

Averse to a debate on the Cauvery, Mr Karunanidhi, whose DMK is a key constituent in the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre, had petitioned Congress president Sonia Gandhi on February 23 not to allow any such debate in Parliament.

Pointing out that a Karnataka delegation, led by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda had requested an opportunity to raise the issue, he said he was apprehensive that any discussion on the subject might lead to adding fuel to the prevailing unwanted situation.

Instead of amicably solving the problems of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka farmers, such debate should not lead to creating enmity between two states, the Chief Minister had pleaded with Ms Gandhi.

Tamil Nadu was also facing problem with Kerala, which refused to raise the water level in the Mullaiperiyar dam from the present 136 to 142 ft even after a Supreme Court directive. As suggested by the apex court, the two states failed to reach an understanding and Tamil Nadu had resolved to move the Supreme Court once again.

UNI