Meeting Between Stalin and Vijayan Today Regarding Mullaperiyar Dam Maintenance
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Chennai, Dec 12 (NationPress) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is scheduled to meet with his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday to address the controversial Mullaperiyar dam situation.
The meeting will occur in Vaikom, located in Kerala's Kottayam district, where CM Stalin will officially open the refurbished memorial dedicated to the social reformer and Dravidian ideologue E.V. Ramasamy Periyar. Kerala CM Vijayan will oversee the event.
Tamil Nadu Water Resources Minister and prominent DMK leader S. Duraimurugan indicated in the state Legislative Assembly on Wednesday that discussions regarding this issue are forthcoming.
The Mullaperiyar controversy has recently come to the forefront when vehicles belonging to the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department, transporting essential materials for dam upkeep, were halted by Kerala officials. This obstruction has delayed vital repair operations, leading to unrest in Tamil Nadu.
Edappadi Palaniswami (EPS), the Leader of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu, brought this matter to the Assembly's attention, stressing that the delays have resulted in agitation among residents of five beneficiary districts in Tamil Nadu. Recently, these residents protested in front of the John Pennycuick statue, demanding uninterrupted maintenance activities on the dam.
In response, Duraimurugan reminded the Assembly of the Supreme Court’s explicit order that prohibits Kerala from interfering with any maintenance efforts conducted by Tamil Nadu on the Mullaperiyar Dam.
On December 4, two truckloads of M-sand being transported by the Tamil Nadu Public Works Department (PWD) were halted at the forest checkpoint in Vallakadavu, situated within the Periyar Tiger Reserve. The trucks remained stranded since 3 p.m., despite having prior clearance from Kerala’s Minor Irrigation Department and the Deputy Director of the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
Tamil Nadu PWD officials expressed their frustration, noting that comprehensive estimates for 16 planned maintenance activities for 2024 had been submitted to Kerala authorities well ahead of time. Nevertheless, these projects continued to encounter obstacles.
This incident led to over 100 farmers staging a road blockade at Lower Camp on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. Their demonstration, intended to prevent Kerala vehicles from entering Tamil Nadu, was ultimately called off after police involvement. The farmers condemned the Kerala government for obstructing maintenance efforts on the baby dam and demanded an immediate resolution to the situation.
Numerous dignitaries are anticipated to attend the event in Vaikom, including Kerala Ministers V.N. Vasavan and Saji Cheriyan, along with Tamil Nadu Ministers Durai Murugan, E.V. Velu, and M.P. Saminathan. Important officials such as Kerala Chief Secretary Sharada Muraleedharan, Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary N. Muruganandam, and Kottayam District Collector John V. Samuel are also expected to be present.
