Hailing the Supreme Court order on Mullaperiyar dam as “historic victory”, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Wednesday said it has clearly established the water rights of Tamil Nadu farmers.
“Through this verdict, the livelihood of people and the farmers of Southern Tamil Nadu have been protected,” she said in a statement here.
With this order, the rights of Tamil Nadu and her government to get justice to people have fructified, she said and flayed the Centre and DMK for ignoring the demands of the State for increasing the dam’s water level to a height of 142 ft.
Political parties in the State welcomed the apex court verdict and AIADMK functionaries distributed sweets at the party office in the city.
DMK President M Karunanidhi, reacting to the order, said “the verdict on Mullaperiyar brings happiness. It has said Kerala should not construct a new dam.“
MDMK chief Vaiko, TNCC president B S Gnanadesikan, CPI (M) state secretary G Ramakrishnan, CPI state secretary D Pandian and BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit chief Pon Radhakrishnan also welcomed the order.
Farmers in Cumbum valley in Theni district on the Kerala—Tamil Nadu border welcomed the verdict by distributing sweets and bursting crackers.
Ranjith, Tamilnadu Mullaperiyar dam rights retrieval committee president and S.Nehru, Farmers’ Coordination committee local president, also hailed the verdict.
