Chennai, Oct 29 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi Thursday alleged that the Kerala government headed by V.S. Achuthanandan was seeking political mileage through the Mullaiperiyar dam issue.
Reiterating that Kerala was repeatedly violating democratic principles and law of the land on the dam issue, Karunanidhi said: “Even as the Supreme Court had ordered raising of the dam height to 142 feet from 136 feet, the Kerala government amended its law to circumvent the judgment to gain political mileage.”

Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been at loggerheads over the present dam built under an agreement signed in 1886 between the then Maharaja of Travancore and the British administration.

The dam is on the headwaters of the Periyar river in Kerala. According to a 999-year lease agreement signed during the British rule, it is operated by Tamil Nadu.

Citing safety concerns, Kerala has been demanding the construction of a new dam, which Tamil Nadu has vehemently opposed while demanding to increase the storage capacity of the existing dam from 136 feet (41.5 m) to 142 feet (43 m) to meet the increasing demand of water for drinking and irrigation.

On Wednesday, Achuthanandan said the opposition to the new dam proposed by the Kerala government was just a gimmick by Karunanidhi and leader of opposition J. Jayalalithaa.

Karunanidhi also accused the Kerala government of creating a fear psychosis amongst its people by repeatedly raising false doubts on the safety of the existing dam even though a team from the Central Water Commission had said the dam is safe and storage level could be raised up to 152 feet.

He said: “The Kerala government is yet to act on the suggestion made in 2007 for the constitution of a neutral team of experts to study the dam safety.”