Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday issued a strong condemnation of the Kerala government’s recent move against the Supreme Court’s order regarding the Mullaiperiyar reservoir. He also approached the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change to seek approval to demolish the reservoir.“I strongly condemn the Kerala government for writing to the Centre to seek approval to demolish the Mullaiperiyar dam to build a new dam. It is against the SC verdict,” Palaniswami said in a statement. He further criticized the Tamil Nadu government for its inaction and urged it to “wake from its deep slumber” and take legal action in accordance with the Apex Court’s verdict on the Mullaiperiyar dam row.
Palaniswami criticized the “incompetent” DMK regime for failing to safeguard the rights of the state, which he claimed is affecting farmers and their livelihoods in the districts of Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Sivagangai, and Ramanathapuram. Several southern districts are also facing drought conditions, exacerbating the situation.
He demanded that the DMK government act swiftly on the issue. “It should look beyond its alliance party-led government in Kerala and give paramount importance to the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu,” he stated, urging strong legal action to stop the Kerala government’s “mischievous act.”
Palaniswami also called for strengthening the baby dam to increase the water storage level to 152 feet for the benefit of the farmers in the state. He recalled the efforts of the AIADMK regime, particularly those of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who led a legal battle to secure Tamil Nadu’s rights and increase the water level in the Mullaiperiyar dam to 152 feet.
The Supreme Court verdict, dated February 27, 2006, directed the constitution of an expert committee to conduct a thorough inspection and study the structural stability of the reservoir. The Court further stated that the water level could be increased to 152 feet after ensuring the reservoir’s stability.
However, Palaniswami criticized the DMK regime from 2006 to 2011 for failing to take any action in this regard. He highlighted that after the AIADMK returned to power, it pursued the issue and obtained a court order against the Kerala government for interfering in the works to strengthen the reservoir.
Palaniswami’s statement underscores the ongoing tension between the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala over the Mullaiperiyar dam, a critical water resource for the region’s agriculture and livelihood.