PCs take on dam safety holds good

CHENNAI: Stoutly defending Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu Co-ngress Committee (TNCC) president B S Gnanadesikan on Monday said the senior leader’s assertion on the safety of Mullaiperiyar dam still holds good.Speaking to reporters at the party headquarters Satyamurthi Bhavan, Gnan-adesikan said Chidambaram did not take back his view that the dam is safe, but only a part of it — on the Piravom bypoll — which trigerred a protest in Kerala.“He is a national leader and common to all sections of people. However, his view that the dam is safe continues to hold good,” he said while answering a query on the home minister’s comment drawing criticism from political parties in Kerala.On December 17, Chidambaram wondered if those in Tamil Nadu would not be worried if the dam had really been affected. “The apprehension of Kerala over dam’s safety stemmed from the bypoll to the Piravom constituency,” he had said.He, however, withdrew the comment the following day following stringent criticism in Kerala and said he only made a “passing reference” to the bypoll, which was “unnecessary” and that it was not his intention to hurt anyone.On the problems faced by Tamil Nadu fishermen, the TNCC boss recalled his plea to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to appoint a special officer to address their problems and expressed hope that an official would soon be appointed.