New Delhi: Urging for "sanity and
sensitiveness", the Supreme Court on Tuesday asked Tamil Nadu and
Kerala to maintain restraint on their statements on the
Mullaperiyar dam row, lamenting that they were adding fuel to
the fire instead of dousing it.
A five-judge Constitution Bench, headed by Justice D K
Jain, asked Tamil Nadu to ensure that the water level in the
dam does not exceed 136 feet but declined to entertain
Kerala`s plea for reducing the level to 120 feet.
It also asked the Centre to clarify its position on Tamil
Nadu`s plea for deployment of Central Industrial Security
Force (CISF) to protect the dam from possible vandalism.
"Both the parties instead of dousing the fire are adding
fuel to it. There has to be sanity and sensitiveness," the
bench observed, while referring to the hostile atmosphere
prevailing in the two states on the century-old dam issue.
PTI
Tamil Nadu government, on December 1, had moved the apex
court accusing Kerala government of whipping up a "fear
psychosis" on Mullaperiyar row and sought the court`s
direction to restrain the state from making any controversial
statement on the issue.
Tamil Nadu alleged Kerala, despite a status quo order by
the apex court, was giving public statements on the issue of
pulling down the dam and constructing a new one in its place.
Kerala government had responded on December 8 by
filing an application for a direction to Tamil Nadu government
to reduce the water level in the dam from 136 feet to 120 feet
so as to avoid any immediate calamity.
While Kerala wants to demolish the dam located in its
Idukki district due to the perceived ecological threat and
possible collapse of the dam, Tamil Nadu wants the structure
to be protected as it caters to irrigation and drinking water
needs of a dozen of its districts.
PTI
