Centre is constantly betraying Tamil Nadu, says Vaiko

Chennai

“The Centre is continuously betraying Tamil Nadu in all the schemes. In Mullaiperiyar issue, the Centre should follow the court order and cancel the permission given to Kerala for conducting the EIA study,” said Vaiko.

He also accused the Kerala government of trying to demolish the existing Mullaiperiyar dam by constructing another dam in its place.

“The Kerala government in a letter to the Union Environment Ministry had stated that the construction of the new dam would be completed in four years and after the inauguration of new dam the existing dam would be put out of use and then will be demolished,” said Vaiko.

“The proposed dam would be constructed at 1,200 feet below the existing reservoir and the height of the dam would be 174.6 feet. Kerala also plans to construct an additional dam, with a height of 82 feet, near the new dam, like the existing baby dam on Mullaiperiyar river. The total amount allotted for the project is Rs 663 crore,” said Vaiko, quoting a letter sent by the Kerala government.

The MDMK leader further said that the Supreme Court in 2001 had said that water can be stored at 145 feet in Mullaiperiyar dam and after Baby dam is strengthened the water level can be increased to 152 feet.

When Kerala tried to construct another dam in 2014 by spreading baseless fears among people that the dam was weak, the Supreme Court intervened and stopped the process. Under the circumstance, the Kerala government is trying to construct another dam with the aid of the Central government and it is highly condemnable, said Vaiko.