Agitation Council demands political solution for immediate decommissioning of Mullaperiyar dam

If there is a political solution for immediate decommissioning of the century-old Mullaperiyar dam, it should be sought without delay, the Mullaperiyar Agitation Council has said.

The speakers, who addressed a mass rally which began from Alady to Karuntharuvi Chappathu, the venue of the relay hunger strike, on Sunday, demanded that that there should a solution to the Mullaperiyar dam issue and it is more relevant in the wake of the tremor experienced in the district on July 26. The speakers also denounced the stand of political parties in the State that failed to react to the Tamil Nadu government’s adamant stand against a new dam in Mullaperiyar.

Council chairman C.P.Roy, who presided over the public meeting, after a rally participated by hundreds of people said that the agitation has no political colour and it was the reason that political parties failed to react to the Tamil Nadu government’s provocative reactions even when a tremor hit the district. He said that it cannot be justified that people living on the downstream live with fear and it is the denial of the rights enshrined in the Constitution - the Right to Live.

Mr Roy said that there is no going back from the agitation and the only solution to the vexed issue is immediate decommissioning of the dam. The council is not against a political solution and the rally was organised to demand the cause for a political solution if possible, before the high power committee of the Supreme Court take a final decision. He said that that the agitation was going on in a peaceful manner and it is led by a peaceful solution to the vexed issue. He said that there should be political consolidation over the issue in Kerala and a representation given to the Prime Minister if a political solution to the issue is possible. The council in no way will stand against a solution, but all out effort is needed to bring the ground realities to those who yield power.

The raising water level in Mullaperiyar also raises the fear psychosis among the people and the studied silence by the State political parties over the issue has no justification, he said.

He also put foreword three demands at the meeting, if there is a political solution, it should be sought, a representation after an all-party meeting to be given to the Prime Minister and the strike will continue till the dam is decommissioned.

Representatives of different political parties including Peerumade MLA E.S. Bijimol attended the public meeting.