CM Stalin to Address Mullaiperiyar Dam Concerns During Kerala Visit: Tamil Nadu Minister

Chennai, Dec 10 (NationPress) Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister and senior DMK leader S. Duraimurugan revealed that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin will bring up the Mullaiperiyar Dam concerns with the Kerala government during his visit to Kerala on December 11.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is set to participate in the celebrations marking the centenary of the Vaikom Satyagraha.

Duraimurugan's announcement followed a calling attention motion initiated by Tamil Nadu’s Leader of Opposition, Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), in the state legislative assembly on Tuesday.

During the Zero Hour, EPS pointed out instances where Kerala officials allegedly hindered maintenance efforts on the Mullaiperiyar Dam.

He highlighted that vehicles from the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department transporting materials for maintenance were stopped by Kerala authorities, causing delays in essential repair work.

EPS also underscored that this situation has led to unrest among residents of five beneficiary districts in Tamil Nadu, who protested in front of the John Pennycuick statue, demanding that maintenance works on the dam proceed without interruptions.

He urged the Chief Minister to confer with his Kerala counterpart and ensure that the maintenance activities continue smoothly.

In response to these issues, Duraimurugan acknowledged the incidents and reminded the assembly that the Supreme Court had clearly stated in its ruling on the Mullaiperiyar case that Kerala should not impede any maintenance work conducted by Tamil Nadu.

He assured the assembly that such matters are generally resolved through dialogue and confirmed his intention to accompany the Chief Minister to Kerala to address the situation.

On December 4, two truckloads of M-sand being transported by the Tamil Nadu Public Works Department (PWD) were halted at the forest check post in Vallakadavu, located within the Periyar Tiger Reserve.

The trucks, which had been stranded since 3 p.m., had received prior approval from Kerala’s Minor Irrigation Department and the Deputy Director of the Periyar Tiger Reserve.

Tamil Nadu PWD officials voiced their frustration, noting that comprehensive estimates for 16 scheduled maintenance works in 2024 had been submitted to Kerala authorities well in advance, yet the works continued to face obstruction.

This incident incited protests, with over 100 farmers staging a road blockade at Lower Camp on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border.

The protest aimed to prevent vehicles from Kerala from entering Tamil Nadu and was only called off after police intervention.

The farmers criticized the Kerala government for hindering maintenance works on the baby dam, demanding a swift resolution to the matter.