Kottayam: Countering Tamil Nadu`s contention
that Kerala was spreading unfounded scare over Mullperiyar dam
issue, state minister K M Mani said there was no question of
going back on its stand that a new dam alone was the solution
for the long-drawn tangle.
"For building a new dam in its jurisdiction, Kerala does
not require permission of Tamil Nadu. It does not require
anybody`s generosity and there is no question of backing out
under pressure from anybody," he said referring to TN Chief
Minister`s Jayalalithaa`s signed advertisements published in
newspapers on the issue.
"However, our wish and our request to Tamil Nadu is that
the government there should co-operate with the efforts to
resolve the issue amicably through dialogue," Mani, leader of
the Kerala Congress(M), said at a UDF dharna here.
Referring to Jayalalithaa`s stand that the dam was not
weak as being argued by Kerala, he claimed studies by IIT-
Roorkie has found Kerala`s fears as genuine, he said.
He also wanted the Centre to take initiative to
facilitate meaningful dialogue between the two states.
Kerala Assembly had on Friday unanimously adopted a
resolution for building a new dam to replace the 116-year-old
reservoir and lowering the water level to 120 feet in the
existing structure.
PTI
