Centre's decision on Siruvani river project an eyewash: DMK

Tamil Nadu government should exert pressure on the Centre to permanently stay Kerala's proposal to construct the dam, says Stalin

DMK on Thursday described as "eyewash", the Centre's decision to keep in abeyance an Environment Ministry committee recommendation to allow Standard Terms of Reference (STR) to Kerala for its proposed dam on Siruvani river.

"Instead of saying clearly that there is no permission to construct a dam across Siruvani, the Centre has said that the STR was being kept in abeyance. I see this as an act of fooling Tamil Nadu farmers," DMK Treasurer M K Stalin said.

Such a move was being adopted as a "diversionary tactic" by the Centre as people of the state, including farmers, were "outraged" against it on the Cauvery issue and it had come up with such an announcement, which was an "eyewash," he said.

Stalin, Leader of the Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, pointed out that the Centre had reversed its stand on constituting Cauvery Management Board in the Supreme Court, when it had sought modification of the Apex Court order to set up CMB, though it had initially accepted to establish it.

"So there are doubts if this is a prelude to fool the farmers like they had been done on the CMB issue," he said, adding, the state government should not think it had made a major achievement with the latest development.

"The Tamil Nadu government should exert pressure on the Centre to permanently stay Kerala's proposal to construct the dam and the Central government should also make an announcement" to this effect, Stalin said in a statement.

Tamil Nadu government had yesterday said the Centre had informed it that it had decided to "keep in abeyance" the recommendations of an expert committee of Environment Ministry allowing Kerala to conduct Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study for the Attappady valley irrigation project.