Stalin opposes Kerala’s new Mullaiperiyar dam proposal, writes to Centre
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Friday wrote to the central government, opposing Kerala’s proposal to undertake a study for constructing a new dam at Mullaiperiyar, which is a matter of years-long dispute between the neighbouring states.
In his letter to the Union Minister of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, Stalin objected to the Centre’s inclusion of Kerala’s proposal in the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) meeting on May 28.
The Chief Minister also warned of legal action if the Supreme Court’s earlier orders on the Mullaiperiyar reservoir issue were not adhered to by stakeholders.
“I wish to convey the strong objection of the Tamil Nadu government to the Union Government’s consideration of Kerala’s proposal to take up a study for constructing a new dam at Mullaiperiyar (after demolishing the existing one), in violation of the Supreme Court order,” Stalin wrote.
The Chief Minister noted that Kerala’s proposal for the environmental impact assessment (EIA) study “is against the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court and added, “The existing dam has been repeatedly found to be safe in all aspects by various Expert Committees and has been ruled so by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in its judgments”.