DMK regime failing to protect our riparian rights, says ex-Min R Kamaraj

CHENNAI: Principal opposition party AIADMK on Monday accused the DMK regime of not effectively defending the riparian rights of Tamil Nadu on Mekadatu Dam and Mullaiperiyar row.

Participating in the debate on the demand for grants for the Water Resource Department (WRD) in the Assembly, AIADMK former minister R Kamaraj said that the DMK regime was slack in securing the due share of Cauvery water from Karnataka, which he said was exploiting surplus water discharge. Alleging that the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) had not met in accordance with the rules, Kamaraj said that the representative of the Tamil Nadu government did not walk out in protest or object to the inclusion of the Mekadatu dam proposal in the meeting of the Cauvery Management Board.

Claiming that there was a threat to the hard-won riparian rights of Tamil Nadu, secured during the previous AIADMK regime, is being compromised under the DMK regime, the AIADMK legislator said that they had effectively safeguarded the rights of TN in maintaining the water level at 142 ft in accordance with the Supreme Court order on Mullaiperiyar dam issue. Charging the DMK regime for not making efforts to increase the water level to 152 ftt by constructing the Baby Dam, Kamaraj said that the officials of the Kerala government intercepted and prevented the TN PWD officials whenever they took construction material to the site for the construction of the baby dam.

Refuting the charges of the principal opposition party, Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan, in his reply to the debate, said that the Mullaiperiyar Dam reached 142 ft on 14 different instances, and the AIADMK member was misrepresenting facts.