CHENNAI: Charging that the Kerala government seems to be whipping up a fear psychosis and panic among the people of the State on the safety of the Mullaiperiyar dam to gain political mileage, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday requested Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to advise the Kerala government not to take up its plan to build a new dam as the present one is safe and functioning well.Referring to the representation of Kerala CM Oomen Chandy to the PM that construction of a new dam would be the only solution to safeguard people, Jayalalithaa, in her letter to the PM said the Kerala government’s act was tantamount to influencing the Empowered Committee appointed by the Supreme Court, by submitting a report based on fear rather than fact.Pointing out that the Empowered Committee was yet to complete its study of the dam, the CM said the committee was still studying the dam and there have been no adverse remark. She also said the whole issue was sub-judice.The CM requested that the Kerala government be advised to honour the rights guaranteed to Tamil Nadu under the 1886 agreement followed by the Supplemental Agreements of 1970 in letter and spirit besides abide by the order of the SC dated February 27, 2006 and consequently repeal the amended Act of 2006. When Kerala raised the safety issue in 1979, the then Chairman of the Central Water Commission inspected the dam and concluded that there was no danger to the dam and suggested certain measures to strengthen the structure. These measures were carried out with the concurrence of the Kerala government.The SC in its order dated February 27, 2006, had, in unambiguous terms, concluded that the dam was safe and the Government of Tamil Nadu had already taken safety measures to keep the dam in a condition that’s as good as new. The CM said Tamil Nadu was concerned about the safety of all the inhabitants downstream of the Mullaiperiyar dam.
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