Coming down heavily on the Kerala government's action preventing Tamil Nadu officials from closing holes drilled for a test on the Mullaperiyar dam (located in Kerala), Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Sunday informed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that her government might have to deploy its police to protect the dam in the area leased out to Tamil Nadu.
Stating this in her letter, Ms. Jayalalithaa, however, qualified it by saying that if the Kerala government persisted with the “recalcitrant attitude” and the Union government did not respond to her request for deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), “the government of Tamil Nadu will have no option but to deploy its own police force” to guard the dam.
Requesting Dr. Singh to advise Kerala to allow the “essential work of closing the drilled holes” on the dam, she said the Kerala authorities stopped Tamil Nadu officials from doing the work in spite of the “clear directions” given by the Empowered Committee to close the holes. The matter was taken up with the Kerala government but to no avail.
She pointed out that the Kerala police had been stationed at the dam site only for guarding the dam. The Kerala government had given an undertaking to the Supreme Court that it would provide necessary protection to the dam.
The holes had to be drilled on the dam as a sequel to directions of the Empowered Committee, constituted by the Supreme Court. A series of tests was carried out to assess the structural stability of the dam and they included the core stability test, containing extraction of the core. On completion of the tests, the holes had to be closed, in view of the approaching [south west] monsoon.
“It is necessary to fill the vertical holes before the onset of the monsoon so as to prevent any damage to the dam. The attempt of the government of Kerala to prevent us from filling the drilled holes appears to be a ploy intended to ensure that the structural stability of the dam is weakened, especially in the light of the report of the Empowered Committee which has concluded that the dam is structurally, seismically and hydrologically safe and the water level could be raised to 142 ft,” Ms. Jayalalithaa stated.
Terming reprehensible the Kerala government's attitude of preventing even routine maintenance works, she adverted to her earlier letters and memorandum to Dr. Singh in December last in which she had sought CISF deployment to safeguard the dam.
Keywords: Mullaperiyar Dam issue, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, water issue
It is quite heart breaking demand by a Chief Minister. Kerala govt does not have right to their own land and property. We are having acute shortage of drinking water and only surplus water is in Periyar and all that water is taking away by Tamilnadu and Kerala Chief Minister is silent. What is going on. Kindly note that British signed a very unequal treaty with then Travancore King that gave british control over its water for 999 years, with no benefit to Kerala state. That was British imperialism or an unequal economic , and territorial relationship between Travancore Kingdom and British empire based on domination and subordination. In Independent India all states are equal and as such this treaty is invalid. It is against Indian constitution
A responsible CM will never make a statement like "the government of Tamil Nadu will have no option but to deploy its own police force"
She thinks educated and sensible Malayalees will sit there watching her forces walk into their state ??!!
I wish my CM tries to talk to her counterpart across the state and makes peace. All my fellow TN residents, please be aware whatever said and done by all technical means the water flowing from Kerala to our state does not naturally belong to us. It was an ecological blunder without taking into acccount principles of nature. Of the 999 years lease, almost 120 years have lapsed. If no sense prevails at the earliest, in the next 7-8 centuries TN will be deprived of all the alms from our neighbour.
Hoping the current dam will last forever is stupidity. Even the best of technology and repairs wont make it last.
Can Jayalalitha allow Centre to control all Dams in TN. Why she is making unwanted sensation even if Kerala agreed. The fact is that Kerala is giving water to TN for past 100+ years. Why this generosity is over utilised now? Is Kerala liable to give drinking water to all state of TN.
Resolution is a successful possibility only when there is some form of consensus in the thoughts that originate from the different sides. When there are hidden agendas threatening the sovereign authority of the State, The State has every right and to an extent duty to uphold the sovereignty endowed by Law through justifiable means as deemed necessary.
Tamils are worse in culture and attitude..bloody idiots they will never talk and resolve..kick their ass then only they understand..this dam is in kerala and that cat jayalalitha, a showoff is threatening PM that she wil deploy force.. then we kerala people will be sitting on your butt you idiots.
Dear Mr. Prime Minister, please bring a bill to make all rivers, Dams and canals as Central Govt. property.
By not allowing the TN state for closing the 'drilled holes' at Mullaiperiyar dam the Govt of Kerala is not doing any justice to the problem.By doing so the Govt of Kerala is acting against the interests of the both states and against the Supreme Courts directions. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister instead of taking any confrontational actions,she must talk to her Kerala counter part and try to win the battle with love and affection,because ultimately the Tamil Nadu farmers will be the losers.
I appreciate this boldness and I guess only Jayalalitha could take these kind of decisions in the current situation.
Centre is sleeping, Kerala should not act is a way that can collapse the
dam.If the dam damaged it can cause huge problems worse riots than
Bombay and Gujarat.
Arupathy and his ilk will never want to resolve differences through discussions - confrontation will only worsen things and create new fissures in the relation between the states and its people. The Hindu has a Tamil editorial team but I was still expecting journalists to encourage a resolution through dialogue....Shame!
Since the holes were made as per direction of Highest Court through Empowerd committee by Central Gov. it is their duty to restore it to original state.
Appropriate job for Manmohan
The Central Government must immediately take action to make a new Dam instead of repairing 100 years of old Dam for the safety of Indian citizens who are living near to Mullaperiyar.
The state that cried about safety of the dam is not even concerned about the danger posed to structural strength of the dam. How could TN believe the slogan, 'Safety for Kerala and Water for Tamil Nadu'? It is high time, people of Kerala understands who is against the safety of the dam.
Where is respect or regard for supreme court verdict or constitutional
obligations, is this not a constitutional breakdown? Every state is
behaving as if they were an independent nation. Clearly the unity and integrity of this nation is under a thick cloud of uncertainty. Not sure if this nation has a future.
How can an Indian State forcibly occupy the geographical territory of
another state?
"It is necessary to fill the vertical holes before the onset of the monsoon so as to prevent any damage to the Mullai Periyar Dam"
If a few holes can damage the Mullaperiyar dam, then it is not stucturally and hydrologically safe anyway! I think is a clever effort by Kerala to force the commitee to confess that the dam is safe but under certain conditions.
The central Government must immediately send the central forces and the dam site must be under the control of Government of India to implement the orders of Supreme Court.Other wise Tamilnadu Government must took the entire control of the dam site.There is no other way for Tamilnadu.
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