NEWDELHI: As Mullaperiyar dam controversy reached Parliament on Monday, Kerala reiterated its demand for building a new dam in the Delhi power corridors. The demand for a new dam along with reducing the water level of the dam to 120 feet was raised by the delegation from Kerala, comprising Water Resources Minister P J Joseph and Revenue Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, holding a series of meetings with top Government functionaries, including Home Minister P Chidambaram and Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal. “We have made it clear that Kerala is not against giving water to Tamil Nadu. But we want a new dam as the security of our people is at risk. We gave all the details about the recent earth quakes in the region and conveyed that reducing the water level is pertinent to the safety and security of the people,” said Revenue Minister Thiruvanchoor Radakrishnan after meeting Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal. According to him, the minister was ‘sympathetic’ to Kerala’s demands. “We hope that the Centre will extend all its support to Kerala’s demand for a new dam by giving the necessary environmental clearance,” he said. The issue was raised in Parliament earlier by Kerala MPs cutting across party lines trooping into the well of the Lok Sabha with placards and banners. Even Congress MPs joined in.The ministers also met Harish Salve who represents the State in the Supreme Court on the matter. The empowered committee appointed by the SC will meet on December 5. Harish Salve has apparently advised the state to pass a resolution in the Assembly to build a new dam citing security concerns. But the government will only take decision following further discussions, sources said. According to the ministers, at the current juncture Kerala is not concerned about issues relating to control of the new dam and the tariff on water used in power generation by Tamil Nadu. “Our concern is only with the lives of our people. Nothing more, nothing less,” said the ministers.The Kerala delegation will be meeting the PM on Tuesday to raise the state’s concerns. According to sources, senior Congress leader and Defence Minister A K Antony had met the PM after the party core committee had apparently given assurances on an amicable settlement in the Mullaperiyar issue. Earlier in the day, Kerala MPs, cutting across party lines, staged a dharna in the Parliament complex seeking the PM’s immediate intervention in the issue. MPs from Congress, Kerala Congress and CPM went on a dharna in front of the Gandhi statue at the complex holding placards- ‘Water for Tamil Nadu, Safety for Kerala’. They said the 116-year-old dam is in danger and the region is witnessing a number of quakes.Kerala Congress MP Jose K Mani, who gave an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha to discuss the issue, along with P T Thomas and Anto Antony also went on a hunger strike.The Kerala MPs were visited by various leaders, including Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh and RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad.
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