Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Thursday called upon Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to direct the Union Ministry of Science and Technology to desist immediately from entering into an agreement with the Kerala government or annul any such agreement on the installation of real-time monitoring system for water build-up in the Mullaperiyar dam.
Referring to reports in the media regarding the agreement that the Kerala government and the Union Ministry had entered into in this regard, the Chief Minister said: “This unilateral action of the government of Kerala in ordering real-time monitoring of the Mullaperiyar Dam in association with the Government of India, Ministry of Science and Technology, without the consent of Tamil Nad a blatant violation of the Principle of Federalism and the Constitutional framework.”
In her letter to the Prime Minister, she requested him to direct the Union Ministry and the Kerala government not to proceed further in any activity against the established rights of Tamil Nadu, “since Tamil Nadu is the incontrovertible sole owner of the Mullaperiyar Dam and all its appurtenant structures.”
Ms. Jayalalithaa also pointed out that the Empowered Committee constituted by the Supreme Court under the chairmanship of Justice A.S. Anand was fully seized of the matter regarding the safety of the Mullaperiyar dam and was likely to submit its report to the court shortly.
Contending that the Kerala government was “persistently engaged in fear mongering” about the safety of the dam even though the Supreme Court, in 2006, declared that the dam was safe and water could be stored initially up to 142 ft, the Chief Minister said the Kerala government's move was “yet another attempt to exacerbate fears” in Kerala about the safety of the dam.
“It is also an attempt to present a ‘fait accompli' to the Supreme Court when the matter is sub judice.”
Recalling her plea in December for the deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force at the dam site, Ms. Jayalalithaa said the action of the Kerala government “interfering in the management” of the dam only strengthened the basis for her earlier request and appealed to him to order the deployment of the Central forces forthwith.
what is the big deal in building a new dam and solving the issue by entering to a paralel contract. Water to TN and security to KL..
Instead of making repeated false statements in the media regarding the ownership of the dam, it is high time that TN publish an advertisement in all national dailies in which the proof of ownership is clearly shown. TN is violating the basic principles of Federalism by claiming that they own something in a neighboring state. As per the information given in the national registry of big dams, the project ID for Mullaperiyar is KL12HH0001 and it clealy says that " Periyar dam located in Kerala but controlled by Tamil Nadu". The controlling is permited based on a lease agreement. Mullaperiyar is not included in the list of dams coming under the Dam rehabilation and Improvemnt Project (DRIP) of TN government. Only dams owned by TN comes under this list. Then how TN can make false claims regarding the ownership of the dam. What is use of a dam without water flowing into it. After some time, it is possible that TN will claim the ownership of the entire catchment area of Periyar river itself.
Following is the portion of 1886 agreement related to payment of lease amount: which clearly shows that the agreement was between British empire and Vassal State governed by britain through a devan appointed by it. "hereby demised and granted unto the Lessee from the first day of January one thousand eight hundred and eightysix for the term of nine hundred and ninetynine years yielding - ---and paying therefor by the same being deducted from the tribute from time to time payable by the Lessor to the Government of India----- or Madras the yearly rent of forty thousand rupees of British India commencing from the day on which the waters of the said Periaur River now flowing into the said territory of Travancore shall by means of the said works be diverted and shall flow into British territory the first of such payments to be made at the expiration of twelve calendar months from such last mentioned date and yielding and paying from the date from which the said yearly rent". It appears that Jayalalita is using the media, including news agencies like PTI, through paid news for inflammatory speech. No Newspaper or agency has asked her " how Tamil nadu has become the heir to the British Empire in Independent India.
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