Maintain calm over Mullaperiyar: Chidambaram
December 17th, 2011 - 8:12 pm ICT by IANS
Chennai, Dec 17 (IANS) Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram Saturday appealed to the people of Tamil Nadu and Kerala to maintain peace on the Mullaperiyar dam controversy.
Speaking at a Congress party function organised to celebrate the 66th birthday of party president Sonia Gandhi, he said: “The apex court-formed Empowered Committee, headed by former chief justice A.S. Anand, on Mullaperiyar dam will submit its report in the second or third week of February next year after inspecting the dam.”
He hoped the report will be in favour of Tamil Nadu and brushed aside the fears of Kerala about the dam’s safety.
Chidambaram refuted the need for a new dam as demanded by Kerala and its demand to reduce the water storage level to 120 ft from the current 136 ft.
According to him, Kerala is raising the dam issue with an eye on the bye-elections slated sometime later.
Chidambaram also stressed on the central government’s commitment to allay the fears of people in and around Kudankulam about the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP).
Declaring that nuclear power is the only alternative to managing the energy shortfall, Chidambaram said importing coal has turned to be a costly proposition and was also not environment friendly.
On the issue of Lokpal bill, the home minister said it will be introduced in the current winter session of parliament, in addition to other bills like the food security bill and others.
He said the draft food security bill is expected to be cleared by the union cabinet Sunday.
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- Mullaperiyar: Special session of Tamil Nadu assembly Thursday - Dec 14, 2011
- Kudankulam, Mullaperiyar to dominate PM's Tamil Nadu visit - Dec 24, 2011
- DMDK to hold black flag demonstrations during PM's visit - Dec 22, 2011
- Centre, Tamil Nadu should operationalise Kudankulam: MP - Feb 03, 2012
- PM arrives in Chennai, Jayalalithaa raises Mullaperiyar (Lead) - Dec 25, 2011
- Solve Kudankulam row in national interest, urges DMK - Feb 03, 2012
- Don't play with people's lives over dam: Stalin to Kerala - Dec 12, 2011
- Anti-Kudankulam activists willing to withdraw protest - May 07, 2012
- Tamil Nadu bans screening of 'Dam 999' - Nov 24, 2011
- May consider central security for Mullaperiyar Dam: PM (Lead) - Dec 26, 2011
- Indefinite fast against Kudankulam N-plant resumes - May 01, 2012
- Chandy slams Jayalalithaa's varying stands on public safety - Nov 30, 2011
Tags: apex court, bye elections, congress party, costly proposition, energy shortfall, food security, justice a s anand, kerala, kudankulam, new dam, nuclear power project, p chidambaram, party president, security bill, sonia gandhi, storage level, union cabinet, union home minister, water storage, winter session