Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has expressed confidence that the Mullaperiyar dam safety issue will be sorted out in the official level talks to be held on 15th or 16th of this month between the state and Tamil Nadu. Addressing the media after an all party meeting in Thiruvananthapuram he said that a unanimous resolution passed in the meeting demands reduction of the present water level of the dam to 120 feet and construction of a new dam decommissioning the existing one. The resolution also assures regular supply of dam to Tamil Nadu. Meanwhile, the state Human Rights Commission was stopped by the agitators in Idukki today forcing the commission abandon the visit to the dam site.As a follow up of the all party meeting, a special session of Kerala assembly will be held on Friday to discuss the dam issue.The Centre had invited senior officials from Tamil Nadu and Kerala for discussions on the Mullaperiyar Dam issue. The decision to invite officials came in the wake of several political parties from both states meeting the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and seeking his intervention on the issue. Union Water Resources Ministry has sent out letters to both states inviting them for a meeting on the issue either on the 15 or 16 of this month in New Delhi. Meanwhile an empowered committee appointed by Supreme Court on Mullaperiyar Dam dispute, will visit the dam site this month to carry out an on-the-spot assessment of the claims made by Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The dates of the visit, which are agreeable to the two states, will be decided later this week.
News On AIR | December 6, 2011 2:01 PM
All party meet demands reduction of water level & construction of new dam