Tamil Nadu leaders welcome Mullaperiyar dam ruling

Political leaders in Tamil Nadu Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court's judgement that struck down a law promulgated by the Kerala government declaring Mullaperiyar dam as endangered and restricting the water level in it to 136 feet.

Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S. Ramadoss, in a statement here, said though justice was delayed the apex court's judgement has upheld the rights of Tamil Nadu.

Blaming the two Dravidian parties - Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) - for the state losing its rights over the dam, Ramadoss said the apex court had ordered storage of water up to 142 ft in 2006 but the then government did not act and the Kerala government passed a law preventing it.

Warning the Tamil Nadu government that Kerala would try to get a stay order on Wednesday's ruling, Ramadoss said steps should be taken to increase the water storage level from the current 111 to 142 feet.

DMK President M. Karunanidhi also expressed happiness at the judgement.

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's (MDMK) general secretary Vaiko said the judgement is a blow to Kerala's wayward attitude and the Kerala law that tried to circumvent the apex court's earlier judgement was a challenge to the nation's unity.

Vaiko also said if the Kerala assembly passes any resolution against Wednesday's judgement then it should be dismissed. He lauded the Tamil Nadu government for adopting the right approach on the issue.

Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been at loggerheads over the dam, built under an 1886 accord between the then Maharaja of Travancore and the British colonial government.

While it is located in Kerala, the water from the dam serves Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu wanted the dam's storage capacity to be increased from the current 136 feet (41.5 metres) to 142 feet (43 metres) as per a Supreme Court order, while Kerala maintained that the structure was weak and needed to be replaced with a new dam.