TN Govt will take legal steps to prevent dam construction:Minister

Chennai, Apr 10 (UNI) The Tamil Nadu government will take legal steps to prevent construction of a dam across river Palar by the Andhra Pradesh government.

Replying to a special call attention motion given notice of by opposition AIADMK, Congress and the PMK, state PWD Minister Duraimurugan today in the Assembly said ''we will face it legally if Andhra Pradesh government went ahead with construction of the dam in violation of rules.'' ''We will take all legal steps to prevent its construction,'' he said.

Allaying the fears expressed by members on reports that the foundation stone laying ceremony had been planned by the Andhra Pradesh government on April 25, Mr Duraimurugan said he had not received any reply from AP Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy when he took up the Palar river dam issue with him at New Delhi, a couple of days back.

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister told him that the state government had not fixed any date for the foundation stone laying ceremony for construction of a dam across river Palar.

Mr Duraimurugan said that Dr Reddy had also promised to get back to him after he reached Andhra Pradesh.

The PWD minister said since the dam was being constructed in forest lands, the clearance from Union Forest Ministry should be obtained.

However, the Forest Ministry had not received any proposal from the Andhra Pradesh government, Mr Duraimurugan quoting Union Environment and Forest Minister A Raja, said.

Stating that the case filed by AIADMK on February 10, 2002, was only numbered after the DMK government assumed office last year, Mr Duriamurugan said the state government would take all legal steps to prevent the construction of dam.

UNI