If AG has erred, Cabinet would act against him

KOTTAYAM: Stating that Kerala was clear on its stand on the Mullaperiyar issue, Water Resources Minister P J Joseph on Friday said that the matter would be reiterated when it  is taken up by the Kerala High Court next week. Taking to reporters at the Kottayam Press Club, Joseph said that the state has not given any affidavit on the issue and its position would be made clear before the court when the matter comes up on Tuesday.Responding to Advocate-General K P Dandapani’s reported statement before the High Court that “There was no relation between water level in Mullaperiyar and its safety,” the Minister said that AG had denied this when contacted.In case the AG had erred in the matter, the Cabinet would take a decision against him, he added. The Minister said that the government would move the Supreme Court citing the reports of IIT Roorkee and IIT Delhi both of which are in favour of the state. Joseph admitted that the government had lost a golden chance to build a new dam in 1979 when the Central Water Commission (CWC) had said that the dam was weak. Successive governments failed to give much importance to the CWC report based on which there was some sort of consensus between the two states to build a new dam 1,300 feet away from the existing dam.The 26 tremors near the dam since July had opened everyone’s  eyes. The other day the level of water had gone up by five feet on a single day due to rains.The government is all prepared to go for a new dam which would cost about `700 crore. An application seeking permission for a new dam would be given to the centre soon, he said.The minister said that there was no hurdle in building a new dam and as soon as environmental clearance was granted, the work would begin and it would take one year to complete it.The minister warned Tamil Nadu that building  a new dam is in its own interest as, if the dam bursts, it would send farmers of the neighbouring state to penury as the 37 lakh acre agriculture land would become desert. Joseph said that he is going to New Delhi on Saturday in connection with the issue. The Supreme Court appointed empowered committee is sitting on December 5.