The Mullaperiyar Dam Rights Retrieval Committee, spearheaded by MDMK leader Vaiko, on Thursday said it would block all 13 roads from Tamil Nadu leading to Kerala on May 28 protesting “denial” of the State’s rights over the dam.
Mr. Vaiko and Tamizhar Desiya Iyakkam leader P. Nedumaran told reporters here that the members of the committee, which also include various farmers outfits, would participate in the blockade in Tirunelvei, Theni, Kanyakumari and Coimbatore, the border districts.
They accused Kerala government of taking series of steps to destroy agriculture in Tamil Nadu by denying its right over Mullaperiyar dam and creating problems on the course of Shenbagavalli, Azhiar, Neyyar and Pambaru rivers.
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They also said the Supreme Court, which recently set up a five-member committee to look into all aspects of the dispute between the two states, should have asked Kerala to implement its earlier order allowing Tamil Nadu to raise the water level from 136 feet to 142 feet.
Tamil Nadu Government should ask the Centre to direct the Central Water Irrigation Board to takeover the maintenance of the dam, they said.
Kerala wants to build a new dam holding that the existing century-old structure was unsafe while Tamil Nadu has been opposing it.
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