State not to give in on Mullaperiyar issue: CM

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, FEB. 12. The Chief Minister, Mr. E.K. Nayanar, on Monday questioned the need for demonstrations and hartals over the Mullapperiyar issue.

The Chief Minister's remark came against the background of the LDF observing a hartal in Idukki district and others taking out protest demonstrations.

Addressing a conference of the Members of Parliament from Kerala here, Mr. Nayanar said that Kerala was not going to give in to Tamil Nadu's demand for raising the storage level in the Mullapperiyar reservoir. The Mullapperiyar issue was not something over inter-State waters. It was about a concession granted to Tamil Nadu by Kerala. The lease deed could be set aside through legislation. ``So, why should there be demonstrations and hartals?'' he asked.

The Chief Minister said that the Government would file an affidavit before the Supreme Court challenging the finding of the Technical Committee set up by the Union Ministry for Water Resources and pointing out the risks arising from earthquakes.

Mr. Nayanar said that Tamil Nadu's moves were purely political. It was part of the campaign for the forthcoming elections.

He added that the Central Government and Tamil Nadu had deviated from the agreement reached between Tamil Nadu and Kerala on the formation of the Technical Committee to examine the Mullapperiyar dam.

The Minister for Food, Law and Tourism, Mr. E. Chandrasekharan Nair, said that the State Government had wanted the dam to be monitored over a period to determine its strength, before raising the storage level. No arguments had been made against this demand of the State by the Central Water Commission. The gain to Tamil Nadu from raising of the reservoir level was only 5 per cent more water while Kerala faced the risk from a dam failure. So, Kerala was justified in not agreeing to raise the storage level.

Mr. Francis George, MP, who raised the issue, pointed out that the dam was situated in a geologically weak zone. The epicenter of the recent earthquake was near the dam.

The members of Parliament, belonging to the Opposition, had kept away from the conference. They were of the view that the conference was a futile exercise.

Earlier, inaugurating the conference, the Chief Minister urged the MPs to see that the package announced by the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajapayee, is carried out. Steps should be taken to get the rebate on coir products released. The members should also press the Centre to raise the import duty on titanium pigment. Pressure should also be applied to get forest clearance for land needed to set up a waste treatment plant at Sabarimala.

The Food Minister urged the MPs to press the Centre for a food policy that ensured food security of food-deficit States. An element of subsidy in food distribution was a must considering the purchasing capacity of the majority of the people. About 50 per cent of the people in the country suffered from nutritional deficiency, and GATT agreement was not in the way of providing them subsidised food.

The Electricity Minister, Mr. S. Sarma, said that the State would have sufficient power until 2003. Generation costs could be brought down, if the Centre waived import duty on naptha. Basic facilities have been set up for the LNG terminal in Kochi.

He urged the members to press for continuance of refinance by the NABARD and allocation of sufficient funds to the State in the coming year's Budget. Though the NABARD had stopped refinance to the district cooperatives because they deposited money in the treasury, refinance had not been resumed even in the case of four district cooperatives who did not deposit funds in the treasury.

The members wanted the Government to prepare a more comprehensive report on railway development needed in the State and present it to the Railway Ministry much ahead of the Railway Budget.

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Section  : Southern States
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