TN slams Kerala over Mullaperiyar dam issue

Chennai, Feb 5 (PTI) Tamil Nadu government todayslammed Kerala for announcing its plans to go ahead with theconstruction of a new dam across Mullaperiyar and said it willpress the Centre to appeal to the neighbouring state not toact in a way that would impede "inter-state ties".

Finance Minister K Anbazhagan told the Assembly thatthe it was mentioned in the Governor''s Address to the KeralaAssembly yesterday that the construction works for a new damwould start this year itself.

"As for the Mullaperiyar issue, Kerala Government hasbeen acting against the Constitution and in ways that wouldaffect (inter-state) ties," he said.

He recalled that Tamil Nadu had filed a case in theSupreme Court against Kerala Irrigation and Water Conservation(Amendment) Act 2006, in the wake of the apex court allowingTamil Nadu to increase the water storage level to 142 ft in2006.

Further, the Supreme Court had last year appointed anempowered committee comprising retired judges from both thestates besides central government experts to examine thesafety aspects of the dam and it had inspected it on December21, he said.

"While the case is pending, it is condemnable that theKerala governnment had announced starting works on the new damthis year itself," he said.

Tamil Nadu would press the Centre to appeal to Keralato act in a way that would not impede inter-state ties andalso present its case in the Supreme Court at the appropriatetime, he added.