Karunanidhi asks Kerala govt not to reduce dam level

Chennai, Dec 31: DMK President M Karunanidhi today told the Kerala government that any effort on its part to reduce the Mullaperiyar Dam water level and build a new one in its place would have to be viewed as an attempt to subvert judicial process and deny justice to the people of Tamil Nadu.

"This issue is now before the Supreme Court, and any effort by Government of Kerala to reduce the water level and attempt to construct a new dam has to be viewed as an attempt to subvert the judicial process and deny justice to the people of Tamil Nadu," he said in a letter to Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

It is unfair for Kerala to resolve to reduce the level to 120 feet even as a case is pending in the Supreme Court, he said, adding the Constitution and Apex Court "will objectively take care of the interests of all citizens of our country." Responding to Chandy's December 28 letter, in which he had stated that the DMK leader was apprehensive of safety of Tamils and these were "inflated stories based on misinformation," he said it was based on true incidents and widely reported in media.

"I want to reiterate these are not at all inflated stories based on misinformation, but based on true incidents, reported in various newspapers and shown live on TV channels," he said.

Further, he had 'ascertained' the true situation with people in the affected areas, he said recalling his letter to the Supreme Court appointed empowered committee Chairman, seeking deployment of Central Forces at the dam. On Chandy's fears about the dam's safety, he said the Apex Court's 2006 order held it is strong, which the Centre too is in agreement with.

PTI