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Kochi: The state government was pushed into a corner Friday after a statement made by the Advocate General K.P. Dandapani before the Kerala High Court that there is no relation between water level in Mullaperiyar and the safety of the dam snowballed into a major controversy.
The Advocate General clarified the statement later after being pulled by the Chief Minister who along with the Revenue Minister K.M. Mani disowned the stand taken by him, but the damage was already done. Mani opined that the stand taken by the Advocate General had relation to the facts.
The Advocate General while pleading the case had informed the court that even if the Mullaperiyar dam met with a disaster the water can be contained by Idukki, Cheruthoni and Kulamavu dams. His contention was that dam safety is not related to water level and it was the age of the dam and the quakes in the region that is threatening the structure.
Kerala government had been running virtually from pillar to post to have the Tamil Nadu government agree for a reduction in water level in the Mullaperiyar Dam because of safety concerns. This was the major argument that the state was placing before the Centre, the court and the Tamil Nadu government for ensuring safety of people and property down stream.
Advocate General K.P. Dandapani said the statement he made before the court was distorted by the media. All the statements he made before the court were the views of the state government. Dandapani clarified that he had only stated that Idukki dam has the capacity to contain the entire volume of water in Mullaperiyar, which is also a view held by the State Disaster Mitigation Authority.
If something untoward happens to the Mullaperiyar dam the scenario will be serious, he said. The statement about media was not the view of the state government. "There is a fear psychosis in the state and the news spreading through media is one of the reasons behind it," he said.
Dandapani also denied the allegation that he had earlier appeared for Tamil Nadu government in the Mullaperiyar case. "My wife Sumathi Dandapani had accepted the vakalat for Tamil Nadu in 1996. But she never appeared for Tamil Nadu in court," he said.
Former Minister K.P. Rajendran who is leading a fast at VIdukki and V.S. Sunilkumar, MLA alleged that the stand taken by Dandapani was mysterious. Even ruling party MLAs like Roshy Augustine was scathing in his criticism and said action should be taken against the AG. Dandapani's statement before the court was also flayed by Kerala Congress (Jacob) chairman Johny Nellore.
Kochi: The state government was pushed into a corner Friday after a statement made by the Advocate General K.P. Dandapani before the Kerala High Court that there is no relation between water level in Mullaperiyar and the safety of the dam snowballed into a major controversy.
The Advocate General clarified the statement later after being pulled by the Chief Minister who along with the Revenue Minister K.M. Mani disowned the stand taken by him, but the damage was already done. Mani opined that the stand taken by the Advocate General had relation to the facts.
The Advocate General while pleading the case had informed the court that even if the Mullaperiyar dam met with a disaster the water can be contained by Idukki, Cheruthoni and Kulamavu dams. His contention was that dam safety is not related to water level and it was the age of the dam and the quakes in the region that is threatening the structure.
Kerala government had been running virtually from pillar to post to have the Tamil Nadu government agree for a reduction in water level in the Mullaperiyar Dam because of safety concerns. This was the major argument that the state was placing before the Centre, the court and the Tamil Nadu government for ensuring safety of people and property down stream.
Advocate General K.P. Dandapani said the statement he made before the court was distorted by the media. All the statements he made before the court were the views of the state government. Dandapani clarified that he had only stated that Idukki dam has the capacity to contain the entire volume of water in Mullaperiyar, which is also a view held by the State Disaster Mitigation Authority.
If something untoward happens to the Mullaperiyar dam the scenario will be serious, he said. The statement about media was not the view of the state government. "There is a fear psychosis in the state and the news spreading through media is one of the reasons behind it," he said.
Dandapani also denied the allegation that he had earlier appeared for Tamil Nadu government in the Mullaperiyar case. "My wife Sumathi Dandapani had accepted the vakalat for Tamil Nadu in 1996. But she never appeared for Tamil Nadu in court," he said.
Former Minister K.P. Rajendran who is leading a fast at VIdukki and V.S. Sunilkumar, MLA alleged that the stand taken by Dandapani was mysterious. Even ruling party MLAs like Roshy Augustine was scathing in his criticism and said action should be taken against the AG. Dandapani's statement before the court was also flayed by Kerala Congress (Jacob) chairman Johny Nellore.
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Before come up with a resolution for this issue, the authorities should have to think beyond the borders of both the states. There must be an acceptable solution for all the people across Kerala and TN.
ReplyDeleteThere is no need to stick on Britishers' agreement which was completely void after we packed off from India. The situations have been changed a lot and demand for water in Kerala also has increased drastically. There are many places in Kerala lacking of good water resources. This does mean that the utilization of water should be wise, beneficial to everyone and shouldn't threaten to anyone's life or dream.
For taking such resolution we must need visionary, genuine, strong leaders at central ministry or in supreme power who can think beyond all the facts and come up with a resolution. But unfortunately we don't have anyone with a straight backbone!! Even if someone come forward, the current system will not allow him to raise his voice.
Ultimately things will go on like this and media will shift the focus when they get another sensational matter. After many months or years, one day the dam will collapse and disaster will happen and will millions of people and wildlife will be destroyed from earth. This will put in the world history as "World's Worst Dam Disaster".
1) If the dam has real safety issues, then why the Kerala Government is refusing to put the facts before the supreme court and win the case?
ReplyDelete2) The Mullaiperiyar river originates from TamilNadu. Periyar, means "Big River" in Tamil. It begins in the Sivagiri hills of Tirunelveli
district of TamilNadu. The place where the dam is located should actually belong to TamilNadu (but for the mistake of State Re-Org Committee
which mapped the majority Tamil speaking land into kerala). The Mullaiperiyar dam is maintained by TamilNadu. TN has spent crores of rupees towards ensuring safety of the dam. Even recently it has spent crores of rupees just to test the stability of the dam
3) Kerala has often backed it's words. It is daring enough pass a resolution against the judgement given by Supreme Court of India.
We can read it's stand as "Water for Kerala and alwa for TamilNadu"
4) How can the TN goverment pass on the future of millions of Tamils to Kerala just based on trust?
5) Tamils have already committed historical blunders by being generous in the past. Tamilnadu loosing control on the Mullaiperiyar dam and giving control to Kerala will become another historical accident and entire agricultural activity in the State will have to close down. If we succumb to the cunning & smart plans of Kerala, our future generation is bound to suffer.
Tamils are generous and that is what being reflected in their attitude towards Malayalees residing in Tamilnadu. Attacking them, looting them molesting malayalee girls, etc. Yes it definitely shows what tamilians are. we have seen those in their cauvery dispute. very peace loving people who never exceps hindi as our national language. they are totally against |India. They want to declatre entire India as Tamilnadu.
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous...
ReplyDeleteThe attacks were first initiated by the well-cultured educated malayalees.. and there was a reaction from 'pandi pada'