Karunanidhi lashes out at Kerala over Mullaperiyar dam


Monday, December 12, 2011: Coming down on the Kerala government for not honouring the Supreme Court’s 2006 order on raising Mullaperiyar dam height, DMK chief M Karunanidhi on Sunday said he was yet to get an answer to his query on whether it was right for the state to refuse to accept it and bring an amendment.
“If the Supreme Court’s judgement is considered supreme, why has its order not been accepted? Is it right on the part of the Kerala government to bring an amendment, despite the Apex Court’s March 15, 2006 order to raise the height? I still have not got answer to my query which I raised on November 14, 2009,” he said in a statement.
Karunanidhi sought to know the remedy if a state government itself did this (not complying with the order). “If all state governments go on like this, what will happen to democracy?”
He said DMK’s one day state-wide fast by party workers tomorrow was to demand that central forces be deployed at the dam site until a decision was taken on the issue and to allow immediate implementation of the order to increase the height from 136 feet to 142 feet.
The fast, he said, was also aimed at drawing the attention of both the Centre and Kerala governments “remaining mute spectators” to people of Tamil Nadu being prevented from entering that state by some anti-social elements.
Karunanidhi said the party has also planned to organise a human chain in Theni, Madurai, Sivaganga, Dindigul and Ramanathapuram districts on December 14 over the issue.
The simmering tension over the issue has led to sporadic incidents of violence on both sides of the border.
Kerala has been insisting on a new dam to replace the 116-year-old structure, citing safety concerns, leading to attacks on Tamils and Keralites in some parts of both states.
However, Tamil Nadu maintains that the dam is as good as a new one and moved the Supreme Court on the issue. The dam is located in Kerala, but controlled by Tamil Nadu on a 999 year lease.

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