Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Sunday demanded immediate deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at the Mullaperiyar dam site to avert any “man-made catastrophic consequences,” in view of what she called “mob vandalism” organised by certain political parties of Kerala at the site.
DMK president M. Karunanidhi also pressed for deployment of central security forces instead of Kerala State police personnel.
In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, which was released to the media, Ms. Jayalalithaa said the current situation of fear and panic-mongering by the Kerala Government was beyond comprehension, and required mature and informed decisions and wise handling at the level of the Prime Minister.
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She said that on Saturday a mob of 200 people damaged the gate at the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board facility at the dam on Saturday.
On Sunday, she said, certain lumpen elements marched towards the dam from Vallakadavu (Kerala) with a JCB and some implements, with the intention of letting out water and wanting to damage the dam.
“As I have pointed out earlier, the orchestrated campaign of fear mongering carried on by the Kerala Government has led to this situation wherein the very security and safety of the dam is being deliberately threatened,” she stressed.
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Reiterating her argument that there was no need to fear for the dam's safety, she said there were dams much older than Mullaperiyar dam that were functional.
“In Tamil Nadu itself we have the Kallanai built by Karikaala Cholan in the 2{+n}{+d} century A.D., which is more than 1,900 years old and is still functioning without any problem. The secret of the longevity of Kallanai is regular maintenance. People in the delta area of Tamil Nadu are not living in any fear of the dam bursting or collapsing,” she said.
Besides the Andhra Pradesh Irrigation Department was maintaining the Godavari anicut and Krishna barrage, which date between 1845 and 1855.
“May I also bring to your notice that the materials Major Pennycuick used to construct the Mullaperiyar dam are the same that Karikaala Cholan used for the Kallanai 1900 years ago: stone and surki,” she said.
Recalling the Kerala Advocate General's submission before the Division Bench of the Kerala High Court submitting that even in the case of any eventuality, Idukki Reservoir, the Kulamavu and Cheruthoni dams would take the waters, she said the Kerala Government on its own admission had recognised that all safety measures were in place.
Meanwhile, DMK president M. Karunanidhi in a letter to Justice A.S. Anand, the Chairman of the Empowered Committee for Mullaperiyar Dam, requested him not to accept the claim of the Kerala Government to reduce the water level to 120 feet from 136 feet.
He said the Supreme Court order in 2006 directing Kerala to allow the increase of water level to 142 feet from 136 feet should be implemented immediately.
“The Kerala Government's attempt to distract the issue by creating fear and panic in the minds of the people should be stopped immediately,” he added.