Left parties ask PM to convene meeting

Two Left parties on Thursday asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to convene a meeting of the chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and Kerala for an amicable resolution of the Mullaperiyar Dam issue . “The situation demands your immediate intervention. Since it is an inter-state dispute, it is appropriate, we believe, that you have to take an initiative to call a meeting of both chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and Kerala to find an amicable solution keeping in view the interests of both states,” CPI(M) and CPI MPs told Singh at a meeting in Parliament House.

In a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister, the MPs warned that delay on this could “worsen the situation, adversely impacting the existing good neighbourly relations” between the two states.

Those who met Singh were D Raja, Lingam (both CPI), TK Rangarajan and PR Natarajan (CPI-M). They said the Mullaperiyar issue had become one of "contention and conflict" between Tamil Nadu and Kerala, saying various sections of people and political parties were agitating on both sides, “justifying their respective positions.”

In a statement, the CPI(M) Polit Bureau said the party would like both Tamil Nadu and Kerala to adopt an attitude, which will help resolve the longstanding and complex issue amicably. “The CPI-M stand on the Mullaperiyar dam issue has always been guided by two principles. The first is that the Mullaperiyar dam provides water to Tamil Nadu which has proved vital to the agriculture and development of the areas concerned. The water supply to Tamil Nadu should be assured in the future too. The second issue is the safety of this 115-year-old dam in the hills of Idukki district of Kerala. The apprehensions about the safety of the dam have to be allayed and measures taken to ensure the safety and security of the people in Idukki and the three adjoining districts in Kerala,” it said.

The party said the issue of the safety of Mullaperiyar dam has come to the fore with the recent tremors recorded in Idukki, which sparked off widespread fears among people.

“The Mullaperiyar dam issue is being considered by the Supreme Court, which appointed an empowered committee to enquire into the various aspects of the problems. The Supreme Court should expedite the process and come to an early judgement on the matter. Till then, the central government should intervene and decide on the immediate measures that are required to ensure the safety of the dam, in consultation with the Kerala and Tamil Nadu governments,” it said.