Jayalalithaa to convene special assembly session on Mullaiperiyar

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa Sunday announced that a special session of the assembly will be convened Dec 15 to pass a resolution that the state will not give up its rights over Mullaiperiyar Dam in Kerala because of the "imaginary threat to its safety".

While the dam is located in Kerala, its control is with Tamil Nadu and its waters serve the state.

Tamil Nadu Assembly is meeting as demands for urging Kerala to repect the Supreme Court order on the Mullaiperiyar issue is being made across the State

In a statement issued here, Jayalalithaa said: "To express the solidarity of the people of Tamil Nadu and all the political parties, a Special Assembly Session will be convened on 15.12.2011 at 11.00 A.M. to pass a resolution that this state will not give up our rights over Mullai Periyar because of the imaginary threat to the safety and security of the Mullai Periyar Dam."

The decision for a special session is a reversal of stand for Jayalalithaa, who had earlier ruled out such a plan citing the united stand of the state's political parties on the issue.

Noting the dispute is pending before the apex court, she said: "My government believes that the solution to this problem lies in presenting sound technical and scientific data to the Supreme Court and in convincing the Supreme Court about the justness of our stand.
“As a result, I have been appealing to the people of Tamil Nadu to eschew emotions and to be rational at all times. I am one with you and share the same emotions and strongly believe in peace and prosperity for my people and the country."

Declaring that the people of Tamil Nadu, and neither she or her government have got anything against the people of Kerala or its government, Jayalalithaa said: "We have no quarrel with the people of Kerala. Therefore, destroying their properties or causing injury to them and in the process also causing ourselves pain and hardship is not a solution."

She appealed to the people to "allow your government to handle the issue scientifically and logically. It is my earnest appeal to all the agitating people of the border areas not to precipitate the situation and to disperse immediately".

Meanwhile Leader of Opposition in the assembly and DMDK founder A. Vijayakant Sunday announced that a massive demonstration will be held under his leadership at Theni Dec 14, condemning the attitude of the central government.

Police prevented protestors from crossing over to Kerala territory and had to resort to baton charge to disperse the crowd.

The crowd pelted stones at Tamil Nadu Finance Minister O. Pannerselvam who had come there to defuse the tense situation. The protestors also indulged in rioting and arson.

With the convening of the special session, the opposition DMK has advanced its human chain protest by a day to Dec 14. The party had earlier announced the human chain protest Dec 15 at Theni, Madurai, Sivaganga, Dindugal and Ramanathapuram districts.

The DMK will hold a protest fast Dec 12 from in all major cities in the state.

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

Tamil Nadu wants 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 wants a new dam in its place.

On Dec 9, the Kerala assembly passed a resolution that the central government should sanction a new dam and till this happens, the storage level in the existing dam should be brought down to 120 feet. - IANS

Also Read

Rising emotions, falling objectivity, the truth behind Mullaiperiyar coverage in Chennai newsrooms