Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Ramesh Chennithala has urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to take necessary steps to protect the life and property of Keralites living in Tamil Nadu.
In a letter to Ms. Jayalalithaa here on Thursday, Mr. Chennithala said the continuing violence against Keralites and business establishments run by them for the second consecutive day was a matter of great apprehension for the people of the State. He urged her to take the initiative to create conditions for bilateral talks between the two States, besides adopting a stand that would facilitate an amicable settlement of the Mullaperiyar issue.
This is Mr. Chennithala's second letter to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister in the last one week. Earlier, the KPCC president had written letters to leaders of national parties and Tamil Nadu parties, including Ms. Jayalalithaa. He said the recent tremors in Idukki region had heightened the sense of insecurity of the people.
“At a time when the most modern dams have a life of around 50 to 60 years, the safety of Mullaperiyar Dam, constructed 116 years ago without the benefit of technology or without proper hydrological surveys or studies on quakes, raises genuine concerns. The Central Water Commission had recommended the construction of a new dam in 1979 on the basis of its finding on the weak structure of the dam. It is evident that waiting for a final verdict on a long-standing legal battle would be irrational, particularly in the backdrop of the grave situation now prevailing,” he said.
Mr. Chennithala reiterated his earlier stand that it would be possible for the two parties to arrive at a political resolution to the issue through an out-of-court settlement. He said Tamil Nadu's interest in Mullaperiyar was in getting water from the river for its needs. Kerala had repeatedly made clear its commitment on providing the same quantity of water to Tamil Nadu as of now. Considering the apprehension of 35 lakh people living downstream about the safety of the dam, the Tamil Nadu government and the people of Tamil Nadu had the responsibility of viewing the issue from a humanitarian angle. “Taking the issue to an emotional level would be harmful to both Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is easy to create wounds. Over a period, the wounds might heal, but the divisions would last. Therefore, in your capacity as Chief Minister, I appeal to you to play your part in bringing an amicable settlement issue from a humanitarian angle,” Mr. Chennithala said.
